I have insurance. Do I need to shop around?

YES!!! The short answer is Yes. Even if you have a good dental care plan, most have Caps, Limits, and even a reduced allowable Fee Guide.

If your current Dental Care provider charges more than the ADA Fee guide, then you will definitely pay out of pocket for the excess amounts.

If your dentist charges the same fees suggested by the guide, many insurance plans pay fees at a reduced rate, again leaving you with a differential to pay out of pocket.

In either situation you are able to save if your provider charges 15% below the fee guide.

Even if your insurance plan covers most of your annual cleaning and check-up costs, there will be annual caps. Sadly, if you hit your cap and then need to deal with a more costly procedure like a root canal or crown most of that procedure might cost you directly. On the other hand, if your dentist saved you 15% during the year on regular procedures then you will have more annual cap left over to pay for unexpected work.

The same applies to limits. Many insurance plans limit some procedures like a Pan X-ray to once every 2 or 3 years. If circumstances require that you need a Pan Now, you can save out of pocket costs if your provider charges below the ADA Fee Guide.

It never hurts to get a good deal.