Dental Insurance Bethlehem

Get the Most Out of Your Dental Insurance Benefits

Using dental insurance in Bethlehem to help lower your out-of-pocket costs when visiting the dentist is a worthwhile investment. Whether you purchase through your employer or independently, the savings you can expect will make it easier to maintain your oral health year after year. At Penn Dental Arts, we are pleased to not only be an insurance-friendly practice but also in-network with multiple providers and plans. If you want to learn how to get the most out of your benefits as a patient in our office, keep reading or call us today.

How Dental Insurance Works

Young woman with glasses smiling after using her dental insurance in Bethlehem

When using your dental insurance, you can access greater savings for preventive or restorative treatment. These services help improve your oral health by reducing your risk of more serious dental problems and repairing and restoring smiles affected by decay, disease, and infection.

Every plan is different, but in most cases, companies tend to follow a 100-80-50 coverage breakdown that looks like:

  • 100% preventive services covered
  • 80% minor restorative services covered
  • 50% major restorative services covered

Cosmetic dentistry is unlikely to be covered, and orthodontics may require a supplemental plan if you or a loved one needs braces.

What is the Difference Between Dental and Medical Insurance?

Male patient having his teeth checked

You can use your medical insurance for general wellness visits, but you shouldn’t expect to get the greatest savings. Instead, these companies lean toward reactive coverage. If you break a bone, experience a serious illness, or need extensive surgery for any reason, this is when you can expect to save the most money.

Dental insurance works the other way around. You receive greater savings when you seek preventive services. When you try to avoid more serious or extensive dental treatment, your insurance company will offer to pay 100% of the cost for these services. While they are still available to help when problems occur, the amount you save decreases.

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network

Male patient talking to in-network dentist

You may not know whether to see an in-network or out-of-network dentist, but we’re here to explain the difference so that you know what to expect based on the dental practice you choose to visit.

In-Network

If you want to save the most money on your dental treatment, choose an in-network dentist who has a contract with your insurance company. Their pre-negotiated terms and fees ensure you pay less when receiving preventive or restorative care.

At Penn Dental Arts, we are in-network with:

  • Aetna / Aetna Medicare
  • Humana / Humana Medicare
  • United Healthcare / United Healthcare Medicare
  • Ameritas
  • Cigna
  • Guardian
  • MetLife
  • Lincoln Financial
  • GEHA

We are also pleased to work with the following plans:

  • United Concordia
  • Delta Dental
  • Capital Blue
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield

Out-of-Network

When you choose an out-of-network dentist, you can expect their fees to be slightly higher because they are not contracted with any particular insurance company. This means they can charge for services at the price they originally set.

At Penn Dental Arts, you are always welcome to ask how we can help you save, as our team is available to file all important paperwork and claims forms. This ensures you receive the maximum reimbursement for the care you receive.