Dental Insurance – Shelby Township, MI
Make Dental Care More Affordable with Dental Insurance
At Smiles in Shelby, we understand that protecting your oral health is an important investment, but it can also be expensive. That’s why we’re proud to be both in-network and out-of-network with a variety of popular dental insurance plans.
To stretch your dollar even further, we’re committed to assisting you by maximizing your benefits and will even file your claims on your behalf. Let our team help you take full advantage of dental insurance benefits here in Shelby Township. Contact us today for an appointment and have your insurance information ready so we can get started helping you protect your smile and your wallet!
How Dental Insurance Works
Dental insurance works a lot like other types of insurance such as health or car insurance. You, the policy holder, agree to pay a monthly fee in exchange for benefits that can be used for dental treatment with a dentist who accepts them. However, it is important to remember the following:
- Most dental insurance policies are based on a calendar year, meaning that your benefits won’t roll over at the end of year. Instead, they will renew on January 1, resetting your deductible to $0.
- You must meet your annual deductible each year before your dental insurance company will agree to pay for any more minor or major restorative treatments.
- Your annual maximum is a designated amount of money allocated to you by your dental insurance company. This is the most they will agree to pay for you and your family’s care in a single calendar year.
Because most dental insurance companies agree to cover between 80-100% of preventive care, we highly recommend you maintain your six-month dental check-ups and cleanings, since these will be of little to no cost to you. They’ll also help you reduce your risk of developing serious and costly problems in the future.
What is the Difference Between Dental & Medical Insurance?
The difference between dental and medical insurance can be somewhat confusing, but the two are very different. Dental insurance was designed to act as preventive insurance, which is why it covers more for check-ups and cleanings, fluoride treatments, and dental X-rays. Your dental insurance provider wants you to avoid needing things like root canals, tooth extractions, dental crowns and periodontal care, because these treatments are more expensive. Thus, if more money is left in your annual maximum at the end of the year, the more your insurance provider keeps.
Conversely, medical insurance may offer some coverage for general wellness check-ups, but they typically will pay more for things like surgery, hospitalizations, and emergency X-rays after an event (such as a broken bone, pregnancy, or cardiac problem) has occurred.
In-Network vs. Out-of-Network
You may have heard the terms “in-network” and “out of network” before, but like many patients, may not understand what they mean. The difference is often that when using in-network versus out-network coverage, your plan, the deductible, premium, and annual maximum will likely be different.
Your coverage will also vary depending on whether you’re in-network versus out of network, and you’ll generally pay a lot less by seeing an in-network versus out of network dentist.
In-Network Coverage
At Smiles in Shelby, we are proudly in-network with Delta Dental, BlueCross BlueShield, and MetLife dental insurances; however, we are happy to welcome all other major plans and provide the same high-quality care no matter which one you have. By contracting with the above plans, we can easily ensure that you are paying the least amount for the services you receive.
Out-of-Network
Should you choose to use your dental insurance coverage to see a dentist who is out-of-network with your individual plan, it is possible that you will pay more for treatment, but at Smiles in Shelby you’ll still receive the same high-quality care no matter how you pay. Furthermore, Dr. Van de Vyver, Dr. Leppek, and the team will happily file your paperwork and claims whether we’re in-network with your plan or not.