Dental Insurance Guide

The teeth are often regarded as an indicator for the health of the rest of the body. The importance of the teeth cannot be over-estimated. Dentists in the UK, even if you are attending a routine check-up, can be expensive and to get a dentist on the NHS is very difficult in some areas.

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Postcode lottery

This can lead to a ‘postcode lottery’ in which good cover is only available in some areas. Being told ‘no, we are not taking on new patients’ can be a very disconcerting feeling, particularly when your teeth are already causing problems.

According to some reports, about 5 million people visit their dentist every year with toothache. A simple check-up could prevent this, and many dental insurance policies include routine check-ups in their cover. Having a dental insurance policy often allows you increased flexibility of choosing when and where to be treated. With routine visits in the UK often costing over £100, it is easy to see why dental insurance in important.

Dental problems

Dental problems usually come in the following types:

Routine dental treatment – Routine problems are ones that can be performed in the dentist’s chair, either by a registered dental surgeon of by a hygienist.

Emergency dental treatment – Acute and sudden pain, swelling or haemorrhaging that requires urgent dental attention.

Dental injuries – Treatment needed following a dental injury. This could include specialist consultation, fees for surgery, fees for anaesthetists, hospital charges, follow-up treatment.

Serious dental problems – Serious dental problems include treatment for fractures, treatment for oral cancer, reconstructive surgery, salivary gland treatment, serious abscess or infection treatment and more.

How dental policies work

Usually, dental insurance policies will pay a percentage of dental treatment, and a percentage of routine treatment. Policies often set a maximum limit covered for emergency dental treatment (which is often very expensive.) Some insurers will not cover serious dental problems. How comprehensive your cover is depends entirely on the level of policy that you take out.

Insurance for the teeth and dental treatment is sometimes covered by private health insurance policies, particularly if they are comprehensive. Some dental insurers will charge a fixed monthly fee depending on the condition of the teeth and gums when they take out the policy, known as a dental payment plan. The advantage of these plans is their relative cheapness, but in some cases the cover is limited.

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