There are various dental plans out there. No wonder it’s almost impossible to keep them—and their differences—straight! But, to make the best choice for you and your family, you need to understand the differences in dental plans. Here is an explanation of each type, so you'll know what's right for you.

Key Takeaways:

• DHMO: You are required to select a primary dentist and can only go to participating dentists to receive a discount.
• DPPO: You can see any dentist but receive a higher discount by going to dentists who participate in your plan.
• Discount Dental Plans: This is an alternative to insurance, where you pay a discounted fee each time you receive dental services.
• Fee-for-Service/Indemnity Plans: This involves splitting the cost with the insurance. You will pay a set rate for each type of service, as long as the dentist is participating.

Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO)/Prepaid Plans:
How a DHMO plan works can depend on the carrier. With some carriers, these plans require you to choose and/or be assigned to one dentist to coordinate all of your oral health needs. If you need to see a specialist for, say, dental implants, you have to get a referral from your dentist. Other carriers allow DHMO members to have the freedom to select any network provider without having to be assigned to their office roster. This reduces your waiting time to be seen by a dentist and allows for a higher standard of care and customer experience. These plans require you to go specifically to a dentist contracted with the insurance.

Dental Preferred Provider Organization (DPPO):
Network dentists agree to a negotiated fee schedule as payment for their services, and members are offered added discounts and incentives to use dentists who participate within the network. You may choose to receive services from any dentist, but you will experience the highest level of savings by selecting an in-network dentist.

Discount Dental Plans:
A Discount Dental plan is an affordable alternative to traditional dental insurance. Instead, members have access to a large network of participating dentists who have agreed to offer their dental services at discounted fees. Discount dental plans offer:

• No annual limits. Plan members have discounts on most dental care services throughout the year.
• No claims. Plan members show their membership card at a participating dentist office for discounts on most dental services.

Keep in mind, you may be responsible for a larger portion of the cost for treatment.

Fee-for-Service/Indemnity Plans:
Members receive care from the dentist of their choice. The co-payment at the dentist office is based on a fee for each service rendered.

There you have it! Now you can make informed choices when it comes to your dental plan!

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