If you’ve been shopping around for individual or family dental insurance, you’ve probably stumbled on ads for a discount dental plan. But what does that mean? And how is it different from traditional dental plan insurance?

1.You have to foot the bills all by yourself with a discount plan

If you have to pay for everything yourself, how does that help you? A discount dental plan does just that – it provides you with discounts on your dental services and procedures. When you sign up for one of these discount plans, you’ll get a card that entitles you to specific deals. You might qualify for 50% off on your cleanings, 80% off on your x-rays, or 60% off on your root canal.
Compare that to traditional dental plan insurance, where the dentist charges full price – but you’re only responsible for paying a certain copay or deductible, with your insurance company footing the rest of the bill.

2.A discount plan is cheaper than traditional dental plan insurance

Because a discount plan doesn’t offer as much coverage as the traditional individual or family dental insurance does, it’s a whole lot cheaper. Look around, and you’ll see discount dental plans for as little as a few dollars per month. If you’re looking for some kind of dental coverage – but can’t afford higher premium payments – a discount dental plan might be perfect for you.

3. Most discount plans are paid on an yearly basis
With traditional dental plan insurance, you get a bill for your premiums every month. But with most discount dental plans, you pay for an entire year’s worth of service all at once. After you’ve made the initial payment, you don’t have to worry about any other bills from your plan provider for an entire year!

4. You may be able to get dental and vision insurance together – but the process is a little different
Depending on the specific terms of your discount dental plan, you might be eligible for free vision coverage.

However, that doesn’t mean you get free vision services and procedures! Instead, your vision plan will work the same way your dental plan does – you’ll pay discounted rates for your eye exams, glasses, and contacts. The only difference is that the vision discounts may be thrown in without paying any extra fees.

Traditional dental plan insurance often allows you to bundle your dental and vision insurance together. However, you’ll be responsible for paying premiums, copays, and deductibles on both policies.