While most Americans visit the dentist on a regular basis, others simply can’t afford the costs. In 2007, about 100 million Americans didn’t make it to the dentist, according to the American Dental Association. Without access to quality dental care, many people end up dealing with serious but preventable oral health issues. And in some cases, untreated dental problems have lead to lose of sleep and time at school or work.

One of the main obstacles in the way of receiving quality oral healthcare is cost. Most Americans simply don’t have the money to pay for basic dental services let alone major procedures such as root canals. This is why it is very important for individuals and families to choose the right dental health insurance plan – one that will not only relieve the financial burden of healthcare but also offer access to quality dental care, ensuring a lifetime of good oral health.

So how does one choose the right dental health insurance plan? A quick and easy way to find the best plan for your needs is to visit a dental insurance comparison shopping site. By simply entering your zip code, you will gain access to a list of available insurance for dental care, ranging from insurance to discount plans and everything in between.

However, the most important part of choosing a dental health insurance plan is making sense of the fine print. Study and compare plan benefits, highlights and costs. Make sure to identify and compare information that might not be in bold letters, such as possible waiting periods and age limits. And there are other decisions you will have to make, such as whether you want a dental PPO plan, which will give you the opportunity to select your own dentist, or a discount plan that will save you up to 60 percent on dental services but you will have to select a dentist within their network?

While it might seem like a lot of information to bite off and chew, comparison shopping sites will streamline this process. Give yourself a chunk of time on Saturday morning to go through the information and find the dental PPO or discount plan you need.