Aetna Plans - In Your Local Area

Dental Health Plans and The New Dentistry - A Partnership for Your Health

A world of opportunities for dental health awaits us in the new dentistry. Using the old dentistry, dentists did their best to provide a high quality of service given the state of knowledge, technology, and dental insurance and dental plan at that time.

Through advancements in treatment, research, and the desire of the dental plan to do more and do it better, the new dentistry has emerged. It is based on a foundation with specific characteristics that are of great benefit to us as consumers.

Efficiency

Your time and your resources are valuable to you, and your dentist recognizes this. New treatment techniques, methods and dental plan options have considerably reduced the amount of time that the dental care now takes. The return on your investment in dental health and your dental insurance is excellent.

Comfort

Not only are the dental chairs and the office environments more comfortable and pleasant, improvements in the use of local anesthetics and new equipment provide more comfort than ever before.

Collaboration

The dental relationship is now based on the value that you can derive from your dental team, what you want for your dental future and maximizing your dental insurance plan benefits rather than just on the techniques and procedures your dentist can do. Through dental continuing education, your dentist has the skills and knowledge to help you make decisions for your dental health in a positive and informed way.

Predictability

New materials and advances in treatment provide you with opportunities to maintain your dental health throughout your life. With the innovative cosmetic dentistry and specialized approaches to reclaiming teeth that formally would be lost, your dental insurance plan can help create and maintain teeth and gums.

Predictable treatment, effective prevention methods, and the longevity of treatment are now part of any treatment plan.

Thoroughness

Advances in assessment and diagnosis now enable dentists to make thorough evaluations of your overall dental and oral health. The outcome is a plan for your health that will give you peace of mind, knowing you can have a well-informed plan in place.

Prevention

This characteristic of the new dentistry has received much publicity in recent years. It has been proven over and over again that there are several measures that you can take as a consumer of dental insurance plans to create and maintain your dental health in collaboration with your dental team.

It bears repeating again - flossing and brushing combined with regular dental hygiene checks are your greatest allies in maintaining your teeth and a bright smile.

Precision

The new dentistry utilizes instruments and technologies that are far advanced from what was available even 15 years ago. Both general dentists and specialists have access to technologies that provide precision in diagnosis and treatment. The value for you is higher quality care.

The dental profession and dental insurance industry has established a strong foundation for a pleasant smile and a healthy dental future for all of us. Improvements are continuously being made to this foundation. You can choose to avail yourself of these improvements by asking your dentist, "What can help me to maintain my dental health?" They have the knowledge and the desire to help you.

By Brian DesRoches, PhD

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Dental Fees

Fortunately, in these times, a lot of patients have dental insurance. Insurance is, on the face of it, a good thing. It minimizes out-of-pocket expenses for treatment and encourages people to keep up with the dental care they need. But most dental insurance plans do not pay 100%. There simply is no perfect insurance plan.

Part of the problem is what's called "usual and customary fees." Insurers have come up with a fee structure intended to reflect the "average" cost of "average" dental care. Urban residents may be allowed different compensation than people who live in rural areas. Reimbursement for a crown may be a certain percentage of the actual cost (the dentist's charge to you), and another percentage for a cleaning. Patients are sometimes puzzled at the discrepancy between insurer reimbursement and actual dental fees.

Of course your dentist can't dictate the amount your dental insurance plan decides is "average." And they don't ask your dentist what cost he or she thinks is fair. The dilemma is this: your dentist can't, in good conscience, recommend less than quality dentistry, even though your insurer may impose an unreasonable ceiling on treatment. It's a rock and a hard place.

For this reason, you should take objections directly to the insurer or compare dental plans with your employer. If enough people make enough noise, the reimbursement picture might improve.

Ask your dentist to sit down with you and go over your dental plan and your dental financing options. He or she will try to make your dental insurance plan work to your advantage. Your dentist cares about your finances, and your health.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.