The “first-of-its-kind” guided online dental savings plan finder helps consumers get personalized plan recommendations for dental care, including orthodontics.
DentalPlans.com, a dental plan marketplace, and part of the Henry Schein One portfolio of solutions, announced the launch of its new guided online plan finder to provide dental plan recommendations to consumers in minutes. According to the company, the online plan finder is the first of its kind and size. By leveraging user responses to a short questionnaire, the plan finder will provide personalized plan recommendations. This includes dental savings plans and/or dental insurance plans that best fit the needs of individual consumers, which, according to the company, will ensure more people can afford to take care of their oral health.
“Dental care is crucial for overall health, yet so many people delay dental care due to cost. Our guided plan finder is designed to help change that,” said Jennifer Stoll, chief commercial officer, DentalPlans.com. “We know that offering shoppers a convenient way to find a plan that truly fits their needs can help reduce costs, so more people can take care of their oral health. This has the potential to change not only how people shop for a dental plan, but how easy it is for Americans to maintain their dental and overall health.”
DentalPlans.com, established in 1999, offers more than 25 dental savings plans and dental insurance plans from healthcare brands including Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Delta Dental, and more, which are accepted by 70% of all dentists nationwide.
According to DentalPlans.com, its guided plan finder makes it simple for patients to choose the plan that is right for them. Dental savings plans, an alternative to dental insurance that can save plan members an average of 50% on most procedures, according to Discount Health Program consumer and provider surveys, may be an ideal fit for some patients. Dental insurance can also reduce costs at the dentist, and there are a number of different options that may be recommended using the guided plan finder.
Orthodontic Products spoke to Stoll about how this new rollout affects orthodontists in private practice.
Orthodontic Products: How can orthodontists in private practice benefit from dental savings plans and the new guided experience?
Stoll: Dental savings plans can make treatments such as braces significantly more affordable for families. Many dental savings plans provide access to savings on braces—for both children and adults—at participating providers, including private practice orthodontists, nationwide.
By participating in dental savings plans, practices can increase their treatment case acceptance rate among their uninsured patients, as well as attract new patients and reactivate dormant ones, by offering them a way to afford the care they need. Even for those who do have insurance, they likely have to navigate some restrictions and lifetime caps. For instance, if you have multiple family members who need braces, but you reach your lifetime cap with just one child, a dental savings plan can provide savings for the second family member. Dental savings plans also provide savings on adult braces, which dental insurance typically does not cover. Offering dental insurance and dental savings plans can be a great way to ensure patients can get the care they need.
Our new guided plan finder is designed to match consumers with a dental plan—either insurance or a dental savings plan—that fits their unique needs in minutes. They’ll answer a few questions, such as the type of treatment they need—where they can select braces/orthodontics—and receive a personalized plan recommendation to help them save money on their orthodontic treatment and any other procedures they select. There is also an option to search by ADA code for those who have already been to the orthodontist and have a treatment plan in hand. More people with a way to afford their dental care, means more patients in offices receiving the treatment they need, and deserve.
Orthodontic Products: How does DentalPlans.com help consumers seeking orthodontic treatment with an orthodontist (not a general dentist)?
Stoll: When consumers join a dental savings plan through DentalPlans.com, they get access to a nationwide network of 140,000+ dental care providers, including specialists like orthodontists, who are in-network to provide savings on dental procedures, such as braces. Consumers can search for any type of dental provider using our Dentist Search Tool, which allows them to filter by dentist specialty, and select orthodontics. They’ll then be given a list of participating orthodontists in the area that participate in the dental plans we offer. There is also an option to search for your specific orthodontist by name and zip code if you already have one in mind. Plus, we have an entire team dedicated to helping match consumers to their perfect plan, and quality providers—if they are looking for savings at an orthodontist, we can help them find a plan and participating orthodontist in their area.
