Dental Insurance for Seniors: Why Do You Need It?

​By Chelsi Walker

​Keeping up with regular dental care is much more than just keeping those pearly whites, well, pearly and white. Maintaining your oral health is an important part of keeping yourself in good health overall. Not only can poor oral health lead to further dental issues in the future, it's been linked with serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and even dementia.
This is why it’s vital for people of all ages, but especially seniors and high risk populations, to have access to adequate, regular dental care. That being said, even preventative care like cleanings can be REALLY expensive, especially if you don’t have dental insurance. A poll conducted by the University of Michigan found that roughly half of seniors lack dental insurance, with cost being the number one variable reported that prevented adults over 65 from seeking the dental care they needed over the prior year.

​How To Choose Dental Insurance for Seniors

Step 1: Assess What’s Available to You

Seniors are left between a rock and a hard place when it comes to dental insurance. While many seniors are eligible for government-sponsored insurance like Medicare, this typically does not include dental care. And while some seniors are still working, many are retired, meaning they don’t have the option for employer-sponsored plans. So what’s left? 
Some Medicare plans, like Medicare Part A, cover emergency dental care while you’re in the hospital, but waiting until things are that bad isn’t ideal. If you have a plan through a state or federal Marketplace exchange, you may have the option to add dental coverage to your existing plan.
If none of the above is available to you, explore other options like ​private dental insurance for seniors​.

​Step 2: Consider the Level of Care You Need 

Yes, it's best to cover all your dental care bases with your insurance if possible. But, it's not worth wasting your money on coverage you’ll never use. When choosing a dental plan, look for one that pays for the things you need the most, whether its regular cleanings or more 
specialized care. If you don’t see a plan within your price range that offers the kind of coverage you’re looking for, it may be time to explore other routes, like a dental discount plan (we’ll touch more on this shortly).

Step 3: Compare Your Options to Find Your Perfect Fit

Once you have all your possible options laid out in front of you, it's time to do some digging to figure out which one makes the most sense. Ideally, you want to land in the sweet spot between cost and coverage. You’ll want to study the following to get an idea of what works best:

• Monthly premium​: this is how much you’ll spend out-of-pocket per month just to keep your dental plan.
• Yearly deductible​: this is how much you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket before specified procedures and care are covered.
• Maximum out-of-pocket cost​: this is how much you’ll pay maximum out-of-pocket for your dental care yearly -- not all insurance plans offer this metric, but if you’re looking on the Marketplace, you should be able to readily view this number.
• Consider your network​: if you already have a dentist you like, be sure to explore whether they’re in your dental care network. Going to an out-of-network provider may mean you won’t get the same (or any) coverage that you would by staying within the network.

​Step 4: Choose Your Plan or Consider Alternatives

Now that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision, it's time to pick your plan. And, using this guide, be sure you shop around each year when the time comes to make sure you’re still getting the best deal.
Can’t find a plan that works, or don’t think it's worth the expense? There are some viable alternatives to dental insurance, like a dental discount plan. There are typically monthly or yearly subscription plans that reduce your out-of-pocket costs. Your dental care provider may also offer financing options or payment plans, so make sure you discuss these things with your dentist one-on-one.