It is important to take out dental insurance extras cover to avoid expensive treatment fees for unexpected dental work, such as emergency dental, wisdom tooth removal and braces. Even though the monthly fees for major dental cover may be expensive in themselves, you can save a lot more money in the long term when the need arises.
Types of dental cover
There are two basic types of dental cover to choose from:
- General dental cover – Covers you for a range of basic preventative treatments that can safeguard your oral health, and help prevent future oral health complications, including: oral checkups and examinations; clean, scale and polish; fissure treatments; fluoride treatment; tartar/plaque removal; small fillings and dental X-rays.
- Major dental cover – Covers you for a range of more complex dental treatments to repair, restore and treat a number of oral health conditions, including bridges; crowns; orthodontics (e.g. braces); endodontic treatment for tooth decay and gum disease; root canal therapy; full and partial dentures; and dental surgery (e.g. tooth extractions).
Dental treatment that isn’t covered by health funds
Elective dental treatment such as cosmetic dental is usually not covered by health funds. That means you won’t be able to insure for dental work you need to enhance your appearance, such as veneers, bonding, teeth straightening and teeth whitening.
However, if cosmetic dental is necessary to improve your oral health and restore oral function, then cosmetic dental insurance coverage may be applied by a health fund.
Do I need dental cover at the moment?
There’s no point in getting the highest premium dental cover, if you are a young adult with healthy teeth and gums – unless you engage in a risky sports activity. When choosing a dental cover option, you have to consider your life stage and oral health needs.
Younger adults, who are aged 20 to 40, single or partnered, and in good oral health, are best suited for general or basics dental cover. This cover option provides basic preventative treatment that can help maintain oral health, and prevent future oral health complications.
Families, and older adults aged over 40, should consider major dental cover options, especially when more expensive, complex dental treatments may be required in the near future. Despite the higher premiums, you can avoid costly dental fees in the long run.
Find the best deal!
There are a lot of health funds out there, and each one is different. Most health funds are similar when it comes to general or basics dental cover. However, at each higher level of cover, access to more expensive dental treatment may differ between health funds.
Visit a comparison website to find a policy that best suits your dental needs and budget. You should consider the following when gathering policy information and comparing health funds:
- Your budget and finances
- Your life stage and oral health needs
- Waiting periods
- Annual limits
- Benefit limits
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Preferred providers in your local area
