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YOUR "DENTAL INSURANCE" Many of us have dental plans available to us through our employers. These dental prepayment plans are referred to as "dental insurance" but they are not really insurance. They are a prepayment of benefits for a portion of the fees for dental services. More often than not, we do not know the specifics of these plans and we assume that the details are cut and dry. One very important thing to note here is that not all dental plans are the same. You should be aware that dental plans are actually a way whereby your employer prepays all or a portion of the costs of your dental care in advance, as part of your compensation package. It is also important to remember that dental plan coverage is not a form of insurance. Dental Fees and Your Dental Plan Alberta dentists have always been able to set their own fees, for the services they provide, based on their individual practice situation. The Alberta Dental Association and College has also provided practice management information and courses to dentists, to help them in determining costs and how to set fees. These fees are to be based on an individual dentists review of cost factors, such as the time needed to provide a service, the value of that service to the patient and the overhead costs of staff, materials, rent, loans, bank financing, insurance, and utilities among others. The fee should not be based on whether or not the patient has a dental plan, insurance or what fee the carrier of the dental plan will pay. Decisions on dental plans are usually made during meetings with employers or plan sponsors and employees. Dental plan carriers use different means, such as the ADA&C's Annual Survey of Dental Fees in Alberta, in setting the level of payment of covered services. Some plan carriers are still not paying their clients the updated level of fees based on the current "Survey of dental Fees in Alberta". Try to get as much data as you can from your company or organization's plan administrator or carrier before visiting the dentist. As there are dozens of companies selling dental plans, you cannot expect dentists and dental office staff to know about your plan and the coverage that you carry. Dental offices are not agents or brokers for any dental plan carrier. If you have concerns with the level of payment or coverage your dental plan carrier is giving you for services you should inform your human resource officer, union leader or employer. These are the people who work out the dental contract with your carrier and they may not be fully aware of your concerns.It is unlikely that any dental plan would cover every service that you may need. But to leave the choice of your dental treatment to only what is covered in your dental plan, rather than what you and your dentist feel is appropriate, leaves your dental health and general well being in the hands of your plan carrier instead of you and your dentist. This site sponsored in part by the Canadian Dental Association 
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