HMO… PPO… Shopping for dental coverage means reading and learning about all kinds of new terms. Knowing what some of the basic terms mean can mean the difference between getting affordable dental coverage and paying more than you need to. If you’re looking for an affordable dental plan, try a dental PPO.

What does that mean?

PPO stands for “Preferred Provider Organization”, and it is one of the most common forms of dental insurance coverage out there. When you have a dental PPO, your insurance company gives you a list of dentists that you can go to. As long as you pick a dentist from the list, your visits will be covered. If you go to a dentist that’s not on the approved list, your insurance company likely won’t foot the bill.

The key is to find dental coverage that comes with a large PPO list. That way, you can pick and choose which dentist you want to go see. In fact, there’s a good chance that your current dentist is on the list!

But how does having a dental PPO give you more affordable dental coverage?

Insurance companies don’t just pick dentists at random to put on their accepted list. Instead, insurance companies are business-savvy. They negotiate discounts and lower rates with dentists, in exchange for putting them on the list.

Why would a dentist agree to do that?

Dentists can get a ton of business by being on a dental PPO list. In fact, they can usually get more business that way that on their own. So, they are willing to give the insurance company a discount, because they know they will get a ton of exposure and a ton of business.

What does it mean for you?

When insurance companies get to pay reduced rates, it means that their overall operating costs go down. Since they’re seeing less money coming out of their pocket, they can pass the savings on to you. For you, that can mean lower monthly premiums and lower deductibles. In many cases, it can mean not having to pay a deductible at all!

Plus, when you have a dental PPO, you know you’re dealing
with quality dentists. Unlike some affordable dental plans – which save money by finding sub-par dentists to work with – a dental PPO plan only works with good dentists. If the dentists aren’t good, they are removed from the list. That way, you know you’re getting more bang for your buck!