At Angel Care Dental Centre, we understand how important it is to have access to quality dental care. That’s why we work hard to ensure that our patients are able to receive the comprehensive dental treatments they need, while also making sure that financial constraints don’t prevent them from doing so. We accept many different types of insurance plans, and we’re dedicated to helping you maximize the benefits of your coverage.
Dental Insurance Standards in Canada
In Canada, patients are responsible to pay for dental services rendered. Patients may have dental coverage through their Employer. Employers may cover most or possibly all the cost of dental work, however, on average the patient usually needs to pay the difference if all costs are not covered by insurance.
Payment usually depends on the specific plans. Rules differ from person to person and from company to company. In most cases, insurance pays for 80% of most basic treatments, such as teeth cleaning and fillings, and the patient is responsible to pay the dentist 20% of the cost not covered by the insurance.
Major dental work such as crowns, and bridges. Orthodontic work, for example, will usually be covered 50% by insurance and 50% by the patient.
It is a federal crime if the dentist is found to waive the co-payment. In the eyes of the law, this is considered insurance fraud, and dentists can lose their licenses to practice as a result.
After each treatment, the patient is asked to sign a claim form, which outlines the services that were performed by your dentist and the fee that was charged to your dental insurance.
By signing this form the patient agrees to pay for their part of the coverage.
We do our best to reach out to each patient’s insurance and help our patients maximize their plan, however, an estimate given to the patient is subject to what insurance will cover.
It is most important to update your dental insurance. If there are any changes made to your dental plan, please let your dental office know immediately.
As most insurances have restrictions and limits, please let us know if you have visited any other dental office, rather than your regular dentist.
Types of Dental Insurance
Angel Care Dental Centre accepts a wide range of insurance plans, including traditional dental insurance policies as well as those provided by employers or unions. Traditional dental insurance typically covers preventive services such as regular cleanings and check-ups; basic services such as fillings and extractions; and major services such as crowns, bridges and implants. Employer or union-provided policies may offer more extensive coverage than traditional plans. Contact your employer or union representative for more information to find out what plan you have.
Determining Your Coverage
The best way to determine what type of coverage you have is to read through your policy document carefully. It’s important to note that most policies will only cover a percentage of the cost for certain treatments, with the remaining balance being paid by the patient. Some policies may also limit the number of services covered in a given year or restrict certain treatments altogether. Additionally, some plans may require patients to get pre-authorization for certain treatments before they can be performed. It’s also important to note that many policies will impose a deductible amount that must be met before any benefits are provided by the plan; once this is met, most plans will then provide some level of coverage for certain procedures or treatments until an annual maximum benefit limit has been reached for that year. Patients are responsible to know the limits and restrictions imposed on their plans by their insurance companies. Our office is here to help maximize your plan, but the responsibility of the dental plans are ultimately with the patient.
How We Can Help
At Angel Care Dental Centre, we know how confusing navigating insurance claims can be; that’s why we make it our priority to take care of this process on behalf of our patients wherever possible. Our staff can review your policy document and help you determine your eligibility for various treatments under your insurer’s guidelines. We can also help with submitting claim forms and collecting payment from insurers directly on your behalf; alternatively, if necessary we can provide you with an estimate of expected costs based on standard fees but it’s important to note that these estimates may not reflect actual charges once your claim has been processed by your insurer.
We understand how difficult using dental insurance can be — especially when dealing with complex terms like deductibles — but rest assured that our team at Angel Care Dental Centre is here every step of the way with helpful advice and guidance tailored specifically for you!