In general Dental plans are a low cost alternative to dental insurance. Dental care services become more affordable with discount dental plans for families in the lower income bracket. A dental plan is a kind of a club you join where we have a section of providers and consumers. In a discounted dental plan, the providers have agreed to provide the services at a discounted rate. As a consumer, one just has to display his or her membership card while visiting the provider. These discounted dental plans do not purport to insurance in any way, they are just discount programs.

Choosing a Dental Plan

While taking a decision on a discounted dental plan, it is important to be fully informed so that one can make a confident decision. The internet would be great tool to search for various plans in your area and compare them. Keeping the cost and benefits offered in mind, an informed decision can be made against the backdrop of your needs. Joining or enrolling in any of these plans is easy and quick; you just have to pay the fee using your credit card or electronic check and get the package online, in a matter of minutes. Many of these packages come with a 30 day money back guarantee, which means if you are not satisfied with the package or services, you can get your money back within 30 days without any questions being asked.

Many discounted dental plans offer ways to save on more than dental care, offering discounts on pharmacy prescriptions, vision etc. Keep these in mind while comparing the plans.

Using your discounted Dental plan

After you join a discounted dental plan you can start using the plan immediately without any waiting period. Benefits for most discounted dental plans are activated within 48 hours from enrolling.

When you use the discounted dental plan, make sure you call the empaneled provider dentist for an appointment. When you reach the dentist to keep your appointment, make sure you show the discount dental plan card to the receptionist to avoid confusion, it will ensure that you are charged the discounted rate in the first place.

The payment at the discounted rate is to be made at the time of taking the service. There are no hassles of paperwork and claims as in dental insurance plans.

Livingston County residents may have discounted dental care by the end of the summer. The county Board of Commissioners approved discounted dental coverage for residents to be administered by a private program.

The Tennessee company, U.S. Dental Care, is the private company to administer the plan which will cost about $62 per household. Discounts under the plan will be between 20 and 40 percent from participating dentists.

“It’s a great thing for the community,” said commission Chairman Bill Rogers.

According to Ted Westmeier who is the county’s Department of Public Health Director, the reason for the discount plan is to allow residents to receive routine preventive dental care especially after they have lost coverage. He also noted that discount plan does not replace traditional insurance.

A 2005 county survey of residents discovered that about 25 percent of county residents did not have any dental coverage. Over the last couple of years that percentage has likely increased.

U.S. Dental Care data suggest that plan participants would save an average of 28 percent on routine dental examinations, 23 percent on root canals, and 30 percent on surgical tooth extraction.

With 20 percent (26 individual practitioners) of the counties dentists currently participating, available plan dentists may be a bit tight. The number of participating practitioners is likely to increase once the program gets started.

The U.S. Dental Care discount dental plan won’t cost the county anything and the county will only be responsible for reviewing any literature for accuracy.

It is expected that participant enrollment will be done via the Internet, over the phone and by mail. County web site pages will have links leading to the enrollment information one the program is live.

This is a significant opportunity for other U.S. counties to model agreements with discount dental plan provides to try and reduce the rising costs of dental expenses and promote good dental health especially for school-age children who are often affected most by poor dental hygiene.