You are looking forward to your education as a stepping-stone to your career ahead – one that you can smile about. It’s makes taking care of your teeth and oral health important too.
Your provincial health insurance coverage does not cover dental expenses for most individuals, and Canada does not have a national dental plan. That’s why a dental insurance plan is important. It helps protect your bottom-line finances by minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses, so you can get the oral health treatment you need to take care of dental issues.
Here are 3 ways dental insurance helps
Preventative maintenance
No matter how diligently you brush and floss at home, regular trips to the dentist are critical to maintaining a happy and healthy smile throughout your life. Dental insurance gives you financial help to get the care you need to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Some services covered by many dental insurance plans include routine exams, cleanings, X-Rays, fillings and more.
Reduce expenses
Although the Canadian Dental Association recommends regular visits to the dentist to maintain good oral health, the cost of these visits can add up, causing many people to think twice about scheduling an appointment. But a Canada dental insurance plan reduces the amount of money you have to pay out-of-pocket for treatment. Dental plans pay for all or a portion of the cost of covered services, allowing you to get the treatment you need without breaking the bank.
Prevent future problems
Without regular care from a dental professional, you’re at risk for developing oral health issues with long lasting consequences that could cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair. Regular dental visits give your dentist an opportunity to identify small problems and resolve them before they become large, expensive ones that require extensive treatment.
What kind of dental coverage can you get?
You can choose the type of dental coverage you need which will cover a portion of dental costs covered per year for:
Basic Dental
For routine oral health maintenance, this coverage includes dental check-ups, fillings, X-rays, and cleanings.
Comprehensive Basic
This coverage includes periodontal treatment of gums and mouth tissue including cleaning and scaling, endodontic root canal therapy, and denture cleaning and repairs.
Major Dental
Includes services to restore teeth including crowns, on lays, dentures, and bridgework.
Orthodontic Dental
Covers services to correct defects and straighten teeth including braces and retainers.
Dental plans also provide a great range of other coverage for healthcare expenses such as
- durable medical equipment including 100% coverage for diabetic medical supplies like, needles and syringes, up to the yearly maximum benefit level (typically from $1000 to $3000 each year)
- vision care
- registered specialists and therapists including chiropractors, chiropodists, naturopaths, registered massage therapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists, and registered psychologists or psychotherapists
- homecare and nursing or personal support workers, therapists, and dieticians
- prosthetic appliances
- accidental dental
- accidental death and dismemberment
- ambulance
- hearing aids
- travel medical insurance.
Together, the comprehensive range of benefits built into a dental insurance plan provides a strong foundation that helps you manage healthcare expenses and get regular dental care to avoid taking time away from your studies caused by untreated cavities and oral infections. It helps you deliver your best.
How to get a Dental Insurance Plan
Dental insurance plans are reasonably priced, so for a small cost you go a long way in taking care of your health. Everyone with provincial health insurance over the age of 18 is eligible with no medical questions asked.
Many people receive dental insurance through their employer. But if you’re a student, that’s probably not an option for you. If you are a full-time student, you may be able to obtain dental coverage through your university. If not, you need to purchase your own policy.
If you are in good health and do not have any pre-existing conditions (health conditions that existed prior to applying for coverage) the best option is to purchase an underwritten individual health insurance plan that covers both prescription drugs and dental (especially if you are 25 or older and no longer have OHIP+ prescription coverage). Applications for medically underwritten health plans ask questions about your medical history like what prescriptions you currently take, any past illnesses or injuries when you received medical care or stayed in the hospital, or if you have a current medical condition. Alternatively, you can choose a guaranteed health insurance plan that does not require you to answer those questions, but remember, the amount of coverage, especially prescription drug coverage, offered by guaranteed plans is less than medically underwritten plans.
Whether you choose prescription drug coverage or only dental coverage, as long as pay your premiums you will have health insurance coverage your entire life, whether you are working or not, married, or single.
If you want to learn more, go online or call us. At SBIS we are ready to help.
