What's the Difference Between Dental Insurance and Health Insurance?

At LaJolla Periodontics we believe that it is important for our patients to realize that dental insurance is very different from health insurance. Healthcoverage is often referred to as "true insurance," while dental plans may more accurately be called "benefit plans."

The goal of regular health insurance is to defray the cost of emergency or serious medical expenses. Dental health plans, on the other hand, focus on prevention. Patients receive the most attractive discounts on regular dental hygiene visits. But patients should expect to pay more for expensive restorations, that's we we always encourage our patients to keep up on their routine general dental care.

Almost all dental procedures are considered elective. That means that they are not strictly required for health; in other words, you are not likely to die from dental disease. (Physicians consider things like cosmetic surgery to be elective.) Though good oral health is a critical part of overall health and wellness, insurance companies view dental procedures quite differently than, for example, surgical interventions.

For example, if you fall off a building and require $50,000 of medical care, your health insurance will probably cover the vast majority of that. However, if you've neglected your dental health for many years and want $50,000 of restorative dentistry, your dental insurance will cover only a small portion of that. Since dentistry, especially cosmetic dentistry, is considered elective, insurance companies tend to view it as more akin to cosmetic surgery than setting a broken bone.