Discount dental plans, designed to provide significant savings on members' dental care needs, have quickly become an attractive alternative to costly dental insurance.

Traditional dental insurance, once the only dental benefit option available, features many drawbacks including costly deductibles, tedious claim forms, long waiting periods and other limitations. On the other hand, discount dental plans are affordable, easy-to-use and free of these hassles.

What are some of the major differences between dental insurance and discount dental plans?

Some of the characteristics of Dental Insurance include:

• Limitations, deductibles and annual maximums
• Waiting periods for major dental procedures
• Tedious and time-consuming written claims process
• Limitations/exclusions on pre-existing conditions
• Certain dental specialties, such as cosmetic dentistry, are rarely covered
• Consumers pay expensive monthly premiums for defined coverage
• Typically inaccessible to individuals and families unless provided by their employer

Some of the characteristics of Discount Dental Plans include:

• No annual limits, members enjoy discounts on most dental services all year long
• Most plans activate within 1 - 3 business days
• No tiresome paperwork hassles, plan membership card is presented for discounts on most dental services
• No health restrictions
• Select plans include discounts on dental specialties, including cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics
• Consumers pay affordable membership fees for access to a network of providers offering discounts on most dental procedures
• Available directly to individuals, families, businesses and other groups
  Discount dental plans are an affordable and easy-to-use alternative to dental insurance, and offer plan members significant savings on most dental procedures.

Not Sure? Read below:

Program Features and Highlights (Aetna Dental Access)

THIS IS NOT INSURANCE Over 66,000** dental practice locations nationwide Save 15 to 50 percent* on everything from general dentistry and cleanings to root canals, crowns and orthodontia. Save on routine dental services such as x-rays and fillings. Save on specialty care such as orthodontics and periodontics where available. All dentists are credentialed and participate in a quality management program. No health restrictions Easy to use Present your card and save No paperwork, you pay the discounted amount at the time of your visit Use the card as many times as needed No predetermination of benefits required No referral required to see a Specialist Group rates available *Anticipated national average dental charges for the 2006 calendar year based on the comparison of provider negotiated fees to national average charges. Actual costs and savings vary by provider and geographical area. **According to the Aetna Enterprise Provider Database as of March 1, 2006.

How this Program Can Save You Money

Aetna Dental Access® is a discount or reduced-fee dental program. This program is designed for health conscious consumers looking to maintain their oral health and minimize their dental care expenses. General dentists who participate in Aetna Dental Access® have agreed to accept the Aetna Dental Access® contracted rate as payment in full for services performed. A sample table of Aetna Dental Access® discounted fees can be found below.

Sample Discounted Fees and Savings

Procedure Description Usual Fee 1 Discounted Fee (for Plan Members) 2 Member Savings Routine 6 Month Check-Up $40 $24 $16 In Depth Check-Up $67 $37 $30 Full Mouth X-Rays $104 $65 $39 Four Bitewing X-Rays $49 $25 $24 Panoramic Film $87 $50 $37 Adult Teeth Cleaning $75 $44 $31 Child Teeth Cleaning $53 $32 $21 Protective Sealant / Tooth $43 $26 $17 1 Surface White Filling for U or L Front Tooth $121 $71 $50 Single Crown - Porcelain on High Noble Metal $867 $566 $301 Single Crown - Porcelain on Noble Metal $838 $549 $289 Root Canal Treatment - Molar $829 $522 $307 Perio Scaling and Root Planing (Per Quadrant) $208 $123 $85 Full Upper Denture $1,252 $725 $527

The sample table above is a small selection of common procedures discounted by Aetna Dental Access®.  The procedures discounted under Aetna Dental Access® offer similar savings to the sample above. This fee schedule is only to be used as a guide to determine approximate prices for dental services in the applicable area. The discounted fee schedule amount reflects the average fee information currently available on our systems. Individual dentist fee schedules may differ. Aetna makes no guarantee as to the accuracy of any particular fee amount.1 Source: DentalPlans.com (DP.C) 2005 Survey of Sample Average National Dental Fees.  Fees may vary slightly by region.  2 Discounted fees are listed for visits to a participating general dentist. Members will be charged the provider's Aetna Dental Access® contracted fees. Charges may vary from the sample fee schedule above. Consult with your provider prior to beginning any treatment. Lab fees may be additional. This plan is based geographically by ZIP code in terms of provider participation and location. Fee schedules and savings may vary by ZIP code and by Provider within a ZIP code.

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