Dental PMI
Dental PMI is a network of insurance providers that offers customers various choices in dental insurance products. It is a large, nationwide network that includes 75 percent of dentists across the nation. If you are shopping for dental insurance, take a few minutes to get an overview of Dental PMI and the types of policies that are available to you.
What is Covered by Dental PMI
Most Dental PMI plans will offer coverage for most common dental procedures, though the amount of your out-of-pocket expense for the dental care will vary according to the specific policy that you purchase. You will be covered for the following dental care.
- Preventative treatments
- Fillings
- X-Rays
- Oral surgery
- Check-ups
- Dentures
- Crowns
- Bridges
Other procedures may also be covered by your Dental PMI plan and you may be able to add additional coverage options such as orthodontic care.
What to Expect from Dental PMI
With Dental PMI, you will have the choice of three general types of policies. These policies differ based upon their cost, flexibility of dentist choice and the overall cost of the dental care received.
- Dental PPO
- Dental HMO
- Dental Fee-for-Service
If you are looking for a discount dental plan, it is not currently offered by Dental PMI. A discount dental plan is not insurance, it is simply dental care provided at a discount rate to those who pay the annual fee and visit dentists who participate in the program.
Types of Dental PMI Plans: Preferred Provider Organizations
Dental PPO plans offer a variety of dentists for you to choose from. You do not have to select a primary care dentist, but you do have to use a dentist from within the large network to get the full benefits of the dental insurance policy. The variables of your PPO policy will include the following:
- Co-insurance
- Deductible
- Maximum yearly limit
These variables will determine how much you will have to pay at the time of receiving dental care. You can tailor your policy to increase or decrease the monetary amounts of each to suit your needs and adjust your monthly premiums.
Types of Dental PMI Plans: Health Maintenance Organizations
Dental HMO plans generally require you to choose a primary care dentist to facilitate your dental needs. The total out-of-pocket expense for an HMO will be dictated by the following policy variables.
- Co-pay
- No deductible
- No maximum yearly benefit
A co-pay differs from co-insurance in that a co-pay is a flat fee rather than a percentage of the cost of the dental services. This type of policy will generally result in lower out-of-pocket costs than a PPO plan, but you get less flexibility as to the dentists you can choose and may have to pay higher premiums.
Types of Dental PMI Plans: Fee-for Service Plans
Fee-for-service insurance, also known as indemnity insurance, is similar to PPO insurance. Elements of a fee-for-service include the following:
- Co-insurance
- Deductible
- Maximum yearly benefit
- Choose a primary care dentist
You will be limited to a network of dentists and the policy variables are similar to those of a PPO, though it may result in higher dental care costs because the dentist is not reimbursed to the same degree.
Shopping for Dental PMI
When you shop for dental insurance there are several items that must be considered to help determine which type of plan is best for you. Here is a short list of the most important items to consider.
- Availability of your dentist
- Cost of going outside the network
- Dental procedures covered
- Flexibility in choosing dentist
- Monthly premiums
- Out-of-pocket expense
- Waiting period
As you shop for dental insurance, weigh each of the above variables according to their importance to you. This will result in a better overall Dental PMI plan that offers the dental insurance protection that you and your family deserve.