Alright, let’s talk about the million-dollar question—well, hopefully not literally. “How much does dental insurance cost?” It’s a question that keeps people in North Central Washington up at night, somewhere between worrying about deer in Grandma’s flower garden and whether The Wild will have a winning hockey season. At Wenatchee Insurance, we get it.
First things first: the monthly premium. This is the amount you’ll pay each month, kind of like your subscription to that jam-of-the-month club. Except this time, it’s your teeth getting the care they need. Depending on your plan, premiums can range from about $15 to $75 a month. It’s like choosing between the extra-large caramel apple from the Grant County fair or just a bag of organic Fuji apples—both will cost you, but which one will make you feel better about your choice? Freedom is important.
Deductibles and Co-Pays
Next, we have deductibles and co-pays. If you’ve ever had to pay to park at Leavenworth during Oktoberfest, you know what these are. A deductible is what you have to pay out-of-pocket first before your insurance kicks in, and co-pays are the little bits you pay each time you visit the dentist. Imagine going to the local cider mill and having to pay a few bucks just to get in—that’s your co-pay. Most deductibles range from $50 to $150 annually, while co-pays can be $10 to $20 per visit for most plans.
Funny Example
Take our pal Farmer Fred from East Wenatchee. Farmer Fred figured he’d save some dough by skipping dental insurance altogether. After all, how bad could it be? Well, that was before Farmer Fred’s epic caramel apple incident last Halloween. One crack of that candy-coated delight and Farmer Fred was down two teeth and up several thousand dollars in dental bills. Now, Farmer Fred’s a dental insurance convert, paying his monthly premiums like clockwork, and sticking to softer treats—like apple pie.
Major Work: Crowns, Implants, and More Dental Insurance
For major work, the cost can be higher. We’re talking crowns, root canals, and implants—like if you decided to replace your old beater with a brand-new truck. The insurance might cover 50% to 80% of the cost after your deductible, leaving you to pick up the rest. These are the services that often have waiting periods. But trust us, it’s a lot better than footing the entire bill yourself.
Protip: Be aware of plan dollar maximums per person per year. This is the amount that the insurance plan will help with before wandering off to the next year. Some plans have them and some do not.
While we do a lot online at Wenatchee Insurance, we especially like to go over coverage with clients. We have some new clients that want to shop by brand name not realizing there can be significant differences for each product. We have encountered people who didn’t realize they had current coverage and others who did not know there was an add-on available from their insurance plan.
Topics: health insurance, Dental, Medicare, Implants, Braces, Bridge, Delta, Ameritas, Dentures, Lifewise, Cavity, Suzie, Chelan, Okanogan, Grant, Douglas, 509, Quincy, Cashmere, Entiat,
