I was told by my employer that Delta Dental is the “best plan”. If that is true, why did you decide not to renew your contract?
Delta Dental is not the “best plan”, rather it is the most cost effective plan for employers. Delta Dental reimburses dentists at some of the lowest rates nationally compared to other dental insurance companies. By paying dentists very low rates they are able to keep the costs of their plans low and attract more employers to offer their plans. Once they have a majority of employers and very low labor costs (the dentists) they have a monopoly effect where they can control the market.
How does this impact me as a patient?
You do not need to find a new dentist. You can remain with us as your dentist and we will continue to provide you with the best possible care available.
How does this change how I pay for my care?
If you have Delta Dental of RI – we will still file your claim electronically. You will have a copayment which is the difference between our usual fee and the Delta Dental of RI allowance.
That co-payment is due at the time of your visit.
If you have a Delta Dental plan from a state other than RI – your Delta Dental requires you to pay us at the time of your visit and then be reimbursed by your plan. We will still file your claim for you and give you a copy of the claim in case you need to follow up with your Delta Dental.
How much more is this going to cost me?
If you have Delta Dental of RI – We have estimated a per patient cost of approximately $86 dollars per hygiene visit excluding any x-rays. (Less for children under 13) If you are due for x-rays there may be an additional $45 charge. Many of our patients only see the hygienist twice per year which means over the course of a year, your added costs total approximately 59 cents per day.
If you have a Delta Dental plan other than RI – We are unable to estimate your exact costs because your Delta Dental plan will not provide us that information. However, traditionally out of state Delta Dental plans pay on a higher allowance table than Delta Dental of RI. As such, many plans allow up to $118 dollars for your hygiene visit and exam which reduces your out of pocket cost to $64 after reimbursement or approximately 47 cents per day.
What if I need treatment beyond my regular cleanings?
Many of you would have a co-payment for treatment regardless of whether we were under contract with Delta Dental or not. We will do our best to establish a financial arrangement with you in the event you need to have treatment that is more costly than usual.
Should you require more extensive care we offer financing through CareCredit. This credit card based program offers no interest payment options as long as proper payments are made each month and the balance is paid in full before the promotional time is over.
Treatments such as implants and dentures require multiple visits over time and we can arrange in house payment options as well.
Can I pick another dental plan?
Yes. If you employer offers options you may choose another dental plan. However, we are only under contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield. For any other company we accept payment from them but like Delta Dental you will be responsible for any difference between what your insurance pays and our usual fees.
Companies like Aetna, MetLife and CIGNA pay on higher fee allowances toward care unlike Delta Dental and those patients often have much lower copayments. However, we do not have any contact with them and you would be responsible for payment up to our usual fees.
Do I really need a dental plan?
That is the question you need to ask yourself. How much does the plan cost you per year versus how much did you receive in benefits over the same time period. Many of our patients spend more to have the plan then they receive in benefits which means they lost money having a dental plan.
The key to remember is this is not insurance. It is a prepaid dental benefit with a limit (usually $1200). If it costs $50 per month and you get $300 of treatment, you lost $300.
How do Delta Dental of RI fees compare?
Delta Dental of RI fees are some of the lowest allowances in the country and have not been properly adjusted in almost 20 years. While they have made slight increases of $1 to $3 dollars on routine treatments, some allowances have not changed in over 25 years.
What if I have more questions?
Before you make an “uninformed” decision…please call the office and speak to a member of our team. We know you as our patients. We know what treatment you need. We can answer your questions more accurately.
We ask that you do not contact Delta Dental. You are only a subscriber and not a patient. They don’t know your personal health situation and will only provide you with a scripted answer.
They will tell you that you will save money by seeing an in-network dentist. That is not a guarantee as they do not know what you need for care and they don’t know what your actual costs would be. In fact you could spend more for your care than you would by remaining our patient depending on that other dentist’s fees.