Which toothbrush should I use?

Disclosure:  I am not a Discount Dental, DHMO, or PPO provider.  I routinely get asked in my office and socially, if I accept their insurance. Unfortunately there are literally thousands of plans out there, and the major insurance companies including Delta, Cigna, and Aetna have hundreds of choices. They all offer DHMO, PPO and indemnity insurance options, so by asking a dentist, “Do you take Aetna?” doesn’t give enough information to answer the question.

With that said, here is the stance most non-DHMO/PPO dentists (myself included) take in response to insurance questions from patients.

In this section we will discuss direct reimbursement and discount dental plans.  As in Part 1 and Part 2, I will discuss each of these types of dental insurance by providing the standard ADA version, followed by a real-world, no-nonsense translation of how these plans really work.

In this section we will discuss managed care dental plans, such as DHMOs and PPOs.  As in Part 1, I will discuss each of these types of dental insurance by providing the standard ADA version, followed by a real-world, no-nonsense translation of how these plans really work.

I’ll start with an all-too-brief history of managed care.

Are you confused by all the options for dental insurance and what it all means?  If so, you are not alone.  After searching the internet for an honest explanation of dental insurance, and coming up empty, I have written out my version (based on years of experience) of how the game works, and make no mistake-- it is a game; with the consumers (patients) and the providers (dentists) ending up together on the losing side.  Meanwhile the insurance companies continue to reap enormous profits.

The main categories of dental insurance plans according to the American Dental Association (ADA) are:

What follows here is a brief Q&A on dental sealants and their role regarding bisphenol A toxicity that has been in the news recently.