Comprehensive Medical Packaging

Dental insurance plans tend to prioritize preventive dental care because of the important role it plays in overall oral health. Therefore, preventive dental services are often covered at 100 percent with minimal or no deductibles or co-pays (in other words, minimal out-of-pocket costs). In addition, with some plans, preventive services are not counted against your annual maximum.

List of "typical" Preventative Dental Services:

• examinations
• cleanings (prophylaxis)
• bitewing x-rays
• periapical x-rays
• full-mouth, panorex x-rays
• fluoride treatments (age limitations may apply)
• space maintainers (may be a Basic service, age limitations may apply)
• tooth sealants (may be a Basic service, age limitations may apply)

FYI - Actions include daily brushing with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, flossing, and maintaining a healthy diet – along with scheduling regular oral exams and professional cleanings.

In general, basic services are typically those types of treatments and procedures that are relatively straightforward in nature and don’t involve a significant laboratory expense for the dentist.

List of Basic Dental Services:

• emergency care for pain relief
• amalgam fillings
• composite  fillings (white fillings)
• sedative  fillings
• routine tooth extractions – (Each policy has different coverage for pulling teeth.)
• root canal treatment – (may be Major service) - (Each policy has different coverage for root canals.)
• periodontal scaling and root planing
• periodontal surgery (may be Major service)
• recementing dental crowns
• stainless steel (prefabricated) crowns
• non-routine x-rays

FYI –Just as prevention and early diagnosis are so important, so is correcting any problems that do develop as soon as possible.

A policy’s coverage for Basic services must be generous enough that when they’re needed they lie well within the member’s financial reach. 

The Major dental services category typically includes procedures and treatments that are relatively more complex in nature and often involve a dental laboratory expense. These services tend to be more costly than those found in the Basic category.

List of Major Dental Services:

• dental crowns (may be a Basic service) – (Each policy has different coverage for dental crowns.)
• inlays and onlays
• bridgework
• tooth implants
• impacted wisdom teeth removal (may be Basic)
• complex oral surgery procedures
• anesthesia / sedation
• removable partial dentures
• complete dentures
• denture relines and rebases
• denture repair
• orthodontic treatment

FYI –With some insurance policies, when it comes to providing coverage for Major services, you’ll find that their emphasis seems more geared toward preserving the status quo rather than providing for significant dental reconstruction.

It’s often the policy’s maximum policy limitations that becomes the problem. Its level is frequently high enough that one or two teeth can be rebuilt (root canals and crowns). But when major reconstruction is planned, this limitation is easily exceeded.