Does Health Insurance Cover Dentistry?
Health insurance is quick to jump in to assist in covering the cost of complications in treatment that require hospitalisation. However, for all the benefits that a lump-sum insurance pay-out can afford, many folks are left wondering if their health cover stretches to caring for cavities and other tooth treatments.
So, does your health insurance’s cover extend to your routine trip to the dentist?
Health Insurance And Dental Cover
“Dentistry” in health insurance terms means the prevention and treatment of diseases and other conditions that affect the teeth and gums. In particular, health insurance companies are concerned with the repair and extraction of teeth, including the operations like the filling and crowning of teeth performed by a registered dental practitioner.
However, dental cover is not always a given in every health insurance policy. Some health insurance companies only offer cover for dental work as an add-on benefit, which would require an addition to your monthly premium.
No matter how dental might fit into your health cover, it doesn’t work like a medical aid policy, which covers every visit to the dentist. While health insurance does cover certain dental treatment procedures, you may still be required to pay your dentist’s consultation fees.
As for what forms of dentistry does fall under your typical health insurance policy, we’ve got the scoop.
Dental Conditions Covered By Some Health Insurance Policies
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Periodontitis (severe infection of the gums where the attachment of the tooth to the gum is broken down)
- Jaw fracture
- Accidental tooth fracture
- Severely decayed or damaged tooth (two thirds of the tooth lost to decay or trauma)
- Dental emergencies (dental pain or infection that requires immediate treatment for relief)
As stated earlier, a dental benefit is not necessarily part of your everyday health insurance policy. Some providers only offer this as added feature to your policy in exchange for a slightly higher premium. If you would like to find affordable health insurance that also covers your dental health, why not let us help you shop around for a quote? Apply for health insurance quotes for free right now!