Discount dental plans are fast becoming the number one alternative to traditional dental insurance. With more than 108 million Americans currently without some form of dental care coverage, it is more important than ever before that we discuss the benefits of discount dental plans.

Traditional dental insurance is virtually unaffordable if not provided by an employer. Therefore, individuals and families must have an alternative. For many, the perfect alternative is a discount dental plan. Discount dental plans offer flexible, convenient coverage that dental insurance policies lack. They re also very affordable.

Top 5 Discount Dental Plan Benefits:

1) Affordable

Discount dental plans are considerably more affordable than traditional dental insurance. A typical individual discount dental plan will cost you around $79.95, while a family plan will start at around $120. In a report released in 2005 by the National Association of Dental Plans, the average monthly premium paid for individual HMO dental insurance(Traditional) was nearly $16/month, or about $192/year, compared to even more($288/year) for individual PPO dental insurance and a whopping $372/year for individual indemnity insurance. As traditional dental insurance rates continue to rise at astonishing rates, discount dental plan rates do not. In fact, the NADP states, “Discount dental plans have become an economical and important alternative to combat the rising cost of health care. They are a cost-effective vehicle for millions of under-served consumers to improve their access to dental care.”

2) No Health Restrictions

Unlike some dental insurance providers, discount dental plan providers do not impose sometimes unfair health restrictions on members. In other words, you will receive the discount afforded to you according to your discount dental plan s fee schedule if you have health problems or not. It is not uncommon for lower income people to suffer from untreated ailments, thus making a discount dental plan the only option in some cases.

3) No Paperwork to Fill Out

Nobody likes arriving at the dentist only to spend 15 minutes filling out lengthy medical history and claim forms. With discount dental plans the only paperwork you fill out is the paperwork required to purchase your plan. Claim forms don t even enter the equation.

4) Quick Activation

If you ve ever tried to enroll with an insurance provider, you know that the wait can be unbearable - especially if you re in immediate need of insured care. Discount dental plans, on the other hand often activate within 1-3 days, depending on the provider you enroll with. Within this time period, a discount card is mailed out to you, and you are often provided with immediate access to plan information, including fee schedules, and local participating dentists.

5) Direct Access for Individuals, Families, and Groups

Traditional dental insurance is rarely directly accessible to the general public - in terms of either policy or expense. However, discount dental plans are available directly to the general public. You can access and enroll in a plan right over the web in most cases. This is true for individuals, families, and groups alike. In fact, one of the largest segments of dental plan enrollees belongs to small businesses who find traditional dental insurance unaffordable.

The National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) considers discount dental plans as a viable, cost-effective alternative: “With an estimated 45 percent of Americans not having any type of dental coverage, and the dental insurance marketplace offering few, affordable dental products for individuals, discount dental plans are an attractive answer to the need to reduce consumer out-of-pocket costs and increase access to care.”

Cory Kemp is the owner of Dental-Plan-Providers.com, a discount dental plan and dental information resource.

Related post

What Are Discount Dental Cards And How Are They Used?
What Are Discount Dental Cards And How Are They Used?By Joe Stewart What is a Dental Discount Card used for anyway? Well, Dental discount cards...

How To Save On The High Cost Of Dentures And Other Dental Care
How To Save On The High Cost Of Dentures And Other Dental CareBy Joe Stewart Denture costs are very high and are out of reach for many people, ...

Super Tips For Finding Cheap Dentures
Super Tips For Finding Cheap DenturesBy Joe Stewart It s not always easy to find cheap dentures, especially if you live in a rural area or in c...

Akron Dentures - Save $$$ On Dentures In Cleveland, Akron, Canton and All Of Ohio By Doing This
Akron Dentures - Save $$$ On Dentures In Cleveland, Akron, Canton and All Of Ohio By Doing ThisBy Joe Stewart The state of Ohio has several aff...

Health Insurance And Dental Benefits In The U.S.
Health Insurance And Dental Benefits In The U.S.By Supanut Kiat The dental benefits industry quickly grew out of the blossoming health insuranc...

Discount Tanning Lotion
Discount Tanning LotionBy Alison Cole "Discount," used as a term, refers to a reduction in the merchandise cost. The term "discount tanning lot...

How To Choose A Dentist
How To Choose A DentistBy Dr. Butch Hutchison Choosing a dentist is an incredibly important step for you to take. Choosing a dentist that work...

The Benefits Of Cosmetic Dentistry
The Benefits Of Cosmetic DentistryBy Dr. Butch Hutchison Cosmetic dentistry, no matter what the procedure, has numerous benefits. These benefi...

Why I Should Purchase Discount Contacts Online?
Why I Should Purchase Discount Contacts Online?By Jon Butt When US defence invented the Internet little did they know that it would one day be...

Discount Vitamin Supplements
Discount Vitamin SupplementsBy Brad Aspin Many leading discount retailers of quality vitamins and nutritional supplements are offering their pr...