Dental treatment in health insurance

Each company may have its own set of criteria but most health insurance companies do not provide coverage on dentistry, while some companies may provide coverage for dental treatment under certain conditions. For example, in case of any emergency, such as an injury to the teeth due to an accident, it can be treated under the health insurance plan itself.

Dental treatments are generally classified under the category of cosmetic treatments and their cost is very high. This is the reason why most insurance companies do not include dental treatment coverage in their health insurance plan. Not only this, but some health insurance companies may also provide coverage on dental care as an add-on benefit but the premium increases as a result of opting for it.

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Some people who have health insurance may not be aware that it does not cover dental care. Many come to know of it only when they go to the hospital for a dental problem. After this you just keep thinking that when teeth are part of the body, why are they not covered in a health insurance plan. Following are some of the reasons why dental care coverage is not provided in health insurance:

• A separate area: The dental and medical treatment areas were separated a long time ago and are being kept as such even today. Medical experts did not accept dentistry and, for this reason, they had to create a separate field. This is one of the reasons why insurance companies do not cover the cost of dental treatment in health insurance plans. Since it is not included in regular health insurance plans, a separate insurance plan called dental insurance was introduced.
• Reducing the cost of both the insured and the insurer: Dentistry is considered to be quite different from general healthcare. When a health insurance plan is designed, it is limited to any one medical field, to ensure that the cost of the policy is as low as possible and the insurance company does not suffer either. The insurer tries to provide you with the best service at the hospitals in their network, so they have to include hospitals in only one area in their network. Similarly, dental insurance companies keep only dental hospitals and clinics in their network.
• Need for separate dental care: Health insurance is generally designed to meet unforeseen diseases so that you can get the treatment for sudden illnesses without worrying about money. Similarly, if there is any damage to your teeth during an accident, then it is covered under the health insurance plan. Conversely, if your teeth suffer from a disease, then it does not get coverage from the health insurance plan. Therefore, the coverage offered in dental insurance covers all dental-related diseases and expenses incurred on routine care. In simple language, dentistry itself is a comprehensive form of medicine, for which a separate insurance plan is required.

We recognize that dentistry is somewhat different from other physical therapy, but it cannot be denied that both are very important. Some people feel that regular dental check-ups are not necessary, but this can be very dangerous. Not only this, in view of the rising inflation and increasing diseases of the mouth, it has also become very important to get separate insurance for the health of the teeth. This is because if the teeth and mouth are not kept healthy, the risk of getting long-term diseases like diabetes can increase.

(Read more: Which is the best health insurance)

While most companies do not cover dental under health insurance, it would be incorrect to say that no policy does. With new insurance companies coming into the market every day, competition has increased and many of them have had to include new features to attract customers. Following are some of the health insurance plans in which dental treatment is covered:

• Individual health insurance: In an individual health insurance plan, the insurance company can provide coverage on dental treatment to the insured. Some companies offer dental treatment as an additional benefit in this plan, for which the insured has to pay a higher premium.
• Critical illness insurance: Critical illness insurance is an insurance plan that is taken to cover the medical expenses of certain types of serious diseases. If you do develop a serious dental problem, those too can be covered under critical illness insurance.
• Health insurance for family: Most family floater health insurance plans are linked to the cashless benefits of mediclaim, which also offers dental insurance. This way, the insured and all the people in their families can be given coverage by the insurer on the cost of dental treatment.
• Preventive healthcare policy: Preventive healthcare policies usually provide coverage on regular physical examinations and doctor consultations. Under this plan also, you can get coverage of regular dental check-ups, dentist fees, etc.
• Personal accident insurance: Dental treatment is also covered in personal accident cover in most cases. This is especially true for when your teeth are damaged due to an accident. However, if the teeth are damaged in an accident, then the treatment can also be covered under a normal health insurance plan.

Keeping your mouth and teeth clean is one of the most important steps you can take to keep your body healthy. Since dentists recommend you get teeth cleaning as well as a checkup every six months, it is wise to get your teeth insured separately.

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