Oral care professionals look to marketing as dental appointment rates decrease

Although dental insurance can be inexpensive, those who provide care under these types of plans are finding that customers aren't taking the time for either routine cleanings or more expensive treatments that could prevent future health problems.

Dentist Ken Peters in suburban Denver has found that roughly double the number of his patients have decided to forego more costly procedures since the middle of last year than the same period in 2007, a trend that is similar to the experience of more than half the dentists survyed by the American Dental Association in July, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"They figure they can't afford it so they wait," Dr. Peters told the newspaper. "They'd rather feed their family than spend the money on a crown."

He and others have considered marketing to this group, using the fact that dental insurance is more inexpensive than other health care costs, and can provide testing that could provide patients with the ability to foresee long-term chronic conditions.

Customers looking to reduce rates on dental insurance and other coverage aren't convinced that government efforts like Democrat bills will do much to limit their out-of-pocket expenses, looking at other policy changes to drive down costs.

Medical and dental malpractice insurance reforms would be the option chosen by roughly half of Americans to reduce expenses and improve health care, according to a telephone survey conducted by M4 Strategies. More than two-thirds say that or other ideas would save them more money than initiatives put forth in Congress.

"It's clear that Americans aren't buying Obama's claim that his health care plan will reduce long term health care costs," said Chris St. Hilaire, the firm's president. "More people also believe that tort reform, which Obama opposes, is a better way to cut costs than what he's proposing."

New Yorkers could also benefit from one of EmblemHealth's new dental insurance plans, several of which offer preventive and diagnostic care that completely covers co-insurance costs of visiting in-network oral care professionals in the Empire State and neighboring New Jersey.

"Too often, off-the-shelf plans offer the wrong mix of benefits and are priced out of reach for many groups," said Dewitt Smith, EmblemHealth senior vice president for marketing. The tiered plan, he added, offers more options for its customers.

Dental Insurance news provided by HealthCare.com