Insider Update

Convincing clients to purchase individual dental plans for themselves can sometimes be challenging. When considering purchasing individual dental insurance plans, clients might not be convinced it’s worth the expense. Young, healthy clients may  wonder if they need dental insurance at all. 

To help your individual clients understand the value of dental coverage, we’ve complied some of the most common roadblocks to sales and provided responses that should help convince even the most skeptical client of the value of dental insurance ― and that it’s something they need.
 

Dental insurance is too expensive. If I need to see the dentist, I’ll just pay cash.

One of the most common reasons clients are hesitant to purchase individual dental insurance is that they don’t believe it’s a good value. Between the cost of the premium and coinsurance, these clients may doubt they’ll save much money, if any at all, when they visit the dentist. Here’s why that argument falls flat:
 

• You’re much less likely to receive regular dental care without dental insurance. Only 64% of people without dental coverage visit the dentist at least once a year, according to a Delta Dental report. By contrast, that number jumps to 85% for people with coverage.¹ Regular preventive care is key to avoiding serious dental issues ― and costly procedures ― in the future.² The good news is that preventive care is covered at low cost under Delta Dental plans.³^,⁴
• You’ll probably pay far less for dental procedures with dental insurance than you would without it. Without dental insurance, your clients won’t have access to the agreed-upon rates for procedures insurers negotiate with dentists. As a result, your clients’ dentists can charge them as much as they’d like. With insurance, most procedures will be much less expensive than they would be otherwise.
• Dental issues can be bad for your individual clients' bottom lines. In the United States, more than $45 billion in productivity is lost each year because of untreated oral disease, and more than 34 million school hours are lost because of unplanned dental visits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For your clients, days of unpaid leave and costly procedures to treat these urgent dental issues can add up quickly.
   

My teeth are healthy, so I don’t need dental insurance.

Your clients’ teeth may be healthy now, but keeping them that way requires regular preventive care which, as we noted, your clients are far less likely to receive without dental insurance. Routine dental exams and cleanings are important for maintaining oral health. Here are some of the obvious (and not-so-obvious) reasons why:
 

• Preventive care helps stop tooth decay before it starts. When clients visit the dentist for regular cleanings and exams, they’ll reduce their risk of cavities and other dental issues. Preventive care can also prevent existing issues from getting worse.
• Dental exams may reveal signs of other diseases. The mouth provides information about the whole body. During a routine exam, a dentist can identify signs of dozens of medical conditions with oral symptoms, from diabetes to osteoporosis to acid reflux.
• Protecting oral health also protects overall health. Healthy gums can lessen the impact of systemic illnesses such as heart disease and rheumatic arthritis.
   

Dental plans always have waiting periods for coverage. I don’t want to wait.

It’s true that PPO plans typically have waiting periods, but they often cover a variety of procedures from day one. (Plans won’t pay toward basic and major procedures until after the required plan enrollment is met, however.) DHMO-type plans, on the other hand, don’t have waiting periods.⁵
 

• With Delta Dental PPO plans, preventive services are available on day one of the effective date. These services are also available without having to pay the deductible.
• Delta Dental PPO plan members receive the contracted rate on procedures on day one as well. This rate offers members up to 40% off covered procedures⁶ when they visit an in-network dentist.
• DeltaCare® USA plans have no waiting periods — period. These copay plans feature no waiting periods and set copayments on more than 300 services, including root canals, dentures and crowns. With this plan, members select and visit a primary care dentist in the DeltaCare USA network to use their benefits.
   

Note that employer plan enrollment waiting periods depend on the plan. Clients enrolled in employer plans should refer to their plan booklet for waiting periods and other information about their plans.
 

I already have a dental plan. If I switch plans, I’ll lose my dentist.

For many people, the thought of having to leave their current, trusted dentist if they switch plans can be a real worry. Here are some facts that can help address your clients’ concerns.
 

• Chances are their dentist is in Delta Dental’s expansive network. Delta Dental PPO and Delta Dental Premier is the largest combined dentist network nationwide based on total unique dentists, as of September 2022, according to Zelis Network360. Learn more about how our networks work.
• They can keep their current licensed dentist regardless. With a Delta Dental PPO plan, your clients can keep their current dentist or visit any other licensed dentist, anywhere. It should be noted that they’ll likely save the most when visiting an in-network dentist, though. Use our Find a Dentist tool to help your clients look for an in-network dentist near them.
   

As you can see, there are many reasons why a dental plan makes sense for your clients, both from a financial and health standpoint. So next time you’re working with a reluctant or skeptical client, remember to refer to these talking points. Hopefully your client will leave satisfied knowing their dental plan will help them maintain their oral and overall health, all at a price that will make them smile.
 

¹ The 2023 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report, Commissioned by Delta Dental Plans Association, 2023

² The 2022 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report. Commissioned by Delta Dental Plans Association.

³^,⁴ Welcome, Delta Dental PPO™ members. https://www1.deltadentalins.com/members/welcome-ppo.html

Welcome, DeltaCare® USA members. https://www1.deltadentalins.com/members/welcome-deltacare-usa.html

⁵ Limitations and exclusions apply. Refer to the policy documents.

⁶ We negotiate rates with in-network providers that save members up to 40% on covered procedures. Savings estimate is evaluated 
according to National Provider File average procedure fees in August 2023. Savings may vary in your location, and these rates may not apply to your clients. Some procedures may have waiting periods that apply before plan coverage takes effect. In California, this applies to covered individuals utilizing an in-network provider.

This material is for information only. This information is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a licensed medical professional. 


West Virginia: You may view the Delta Dental of West Virginia, Inc., Network Access Plan, as required by the Health Benefit Plan Network Access and Adequacy Act, online at deltadentalins.com. You may also contact us by calling 800-422-4234 to request a copy.

Delta Dental PPO is underwritten by Delta Dental Insurance Company in DC (Policy-IENT-P-CORE-DC-R22) and by not-for-profit dental service companies in these states: PA, MD – Delta Dental of Pennsylvania; NY – Delta Dental of New York, Inc.; DE – Delta Dental of  Delaware, Inc.; WV – Delta Dental of West Virginia, Inc.

DeltaCare USA is underwritten in these states by these entities: CA — Delta Dental of California; DC (Policy-I-P-DC-dc-20) and FL — Delta Dental Insurance Company; MD and TX — Alpha Dental Programs, Inc.; NV — Alpha Dental of Nevada, Inc.; UT — Alpha Dental of Utah, Inc.; NY — Delta Dental of New York, Inc.; PA — Delta Dental of Pennsylvania. Delta Dental Insurance Company acts as the Delta-Care USA administrator in all these states. These companies are financially responsible for their own products.

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