If you have dental insurance, you have likely learned that it does not work the same way as medical insurance. Perhaps you were told by your Green Bay, WI dentist that you need a dental crown and then you found out that your dental insurance will only pay a small portion, as more of a “discount” than “coverage.”

It’s true that dental insurance is nothing like your medical insurance. Our team is happy to answer any specific questions you might have about coverage.

Dental Insurance Promotes Prevention Rather Than Treatment

Dental insurance is great when it comes to providing coverage for examinations and cleanings. Chances are, if you are covered and go to a dentist who takes your insurance, your check-ups will be covered nearly 100 percent.

This is quite different from medical insurance, which tends to be geared more toward treatment than prevention.

Dental Insurance Will Not Pay for Your Entire Procedure

Although your coverage for preventive care may be excellent, you may have been surprised to find that once you needed a dental treatment done, only a small portion of it was covered by your insurance. You may have also noted that different levels of treatment have different levels of coverage.

Medical insurance today seems to be covering less and less, but you will usually find a higher level of coverage with medical versus dental.

Dental Care Used to Be Provided by the Barber

Yes, you read that right! Prior to the 1800s, if you needed a tooth pulled, you could have it done right after the barber cut your hair and shaved your beard. Dental care wasn’t proposed as a medical specialty until the mid-nineteenth century.

The connection between overall health and oral health has been made fairly recently. Insurance coverage, however, has not kept up.

Call Your Green Bay Dentist

Regardless of your dental insurance coverage, prevention is the best way to stay on top of your oral health. Visit your Green Bay dentist twice each year to keep your smile healthy. Call us today to make an appointment!