After visiting your dentist for a regular checkup, you learn that you need a dental crown because of severe damage to a particular tooth. Realizing the urgency to have the procedure done, you want to get it taken care of right away. Unfortunately, when filing with your dental insurance company, you learn there is a waiting period. Why? To find out the answer, take a few moments to read through this article, as a dentist is here to offer clarity on what it means and how it works.
What is a Dental Insurance Waiting Period?
When you see “waiting periods” as part of your dental insurance policy, you may wonder what that means. In short, it is time amount of time you must wait after purchasing your plan to receive access to your available benefits.
This might seem odd and even highly frustrating, but there are some key points to remember:
- Every company is different, and the waiting periods can be anywhere from 2-12 months.
- Your plan will clearly outline what is available right away and which services are subject to waiting plans.
- You may find that your dental insurance company does not have waiting periods.
- Not all benefits are subject to waiting periods.
- If your benefits are through an employer-based plan, it’s unlikely that you’ll have waiting periods.
Although the idea of having to wait for a particular treatment may not be what you want to hear, dental insurance companies have a good reason for putting them into place.
Unlike medical insurance, which is designed to provide greater savings when a serious injury occurs, dental insurance is designed to offer better coverage of preventive services. If individuals simply purchase a plan with the intent of using it to address multiple dental issues, only to cancel the policy once it expires, the insurance company will lose a substantial amount of money.
Waiting periods are incorporated to prevent this type of situation from happening.
How Does a Waiting Period Work?
When contacting your insurance company about a particular service that your dentist has recommended, you’ll be informed as to whether there is a waiting period. For example, if you purchased your plan two months ago, but there is a waiting period of six months for a dental crown, you will need to wait that amount of time to undergo treatment if you want your insurer to pay their portion.
If you choose not to wait, you’ll be required to pay the full amount out of pocket.
Waiting periods might not be ideal, but they are essential for many dental insurance companies. Learning more about your policy and the various stipulations can help you make the right decision when it comes to taking care of your oral health.
About the Author
Dr. Priya Chougule is a trusted dentist in Southlake who has more than 15 years of experience in the field. Earning her DMD degree at the University of Connecticut, she completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency. She and her colleague, Dr. Ashley Fasone, work together to provide patients of Southlake Family Dentistry with accessible and affordable dental care. As an in-network dentist with multiple dental insurance companies, she believes in making it as easy as possible for patients to save when seeking high-quality dental care. To find out if we accept your plan, contact us at (803) 548-3342.