discount dental plans

[darkoshi]

Do any of you have experience using a discount dental plan (as opposed to dental insurance)?

From the ads I've looked at, they sound a bit too good to be true. It sounds like you get charged in-network insurance prices, without having actual insurance, for a yearly fee between $100 and $200 dollars. The ones I've looked at advertise "sample savings" of 20% or even 40 to 50%, even for things like orthodontics or implants which can cost thousands of dollars. Even 20% off of $3000 would be a net savings. You're limited to whichever dentists accept the plan, but insurance is the same way.


Examples:
https://www.aetnadentaloffers.com/plans/aetna-dental-access

https://www.dentalplans.com/how-it-works


Maybe fewer dentists accept these plans, than accept insurance? That Aetna plan only lists 2 orthodontists in my area, and both are at the same address. But a couple other plans I looked at had more dentists participating.

Maybe the sample savings is the best you can hope to get, and most dentists give a much smaller discount?

Comments

[randomdreams]

My guess, based on what my insurance does, is that A: not many dentists take it, and B: the insurance people work pretty hard to make sure they cover as little as possible. As in, they may cover the procedure, but none of the consumables or the anaesthetic or any of the other stuff you really do need to have.