Dental Insurance vs. Orthodontist Insurance

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Are dental insurance and orthodontist insurance the same thing?
No. In fact, many dental insurance plans do not offer coverage for procedures done by orthodontists at all! Furthermore, there is no such thing as a policy that covers only orthodontist procedures. So, if your current dental plan doesn't cover them, you effectively have no orthodontist insurance.

Fortunately, for a modest increase in your monthly premiums, many group and individual dental plans can include coverage for orthodontic work (I.E. braces). If, for whatever reason, your company's benefits manager doesn't offer you the flexibility to get extra coverage in the company plan for your own needs, then you may have to purchase a supplemental plan to get the coverage you want. Furthermore, many companies will allow you to opt-out of the group plan completely and get partial reimbursement for whatever plan you choose for yourself and your family.

Either way, if you think that any beneficiary of your dental plan will require orthodontist work in the near- to mid-term, then you should make sure that your current plan offers that coverage or else start thinking about other coverage options such as purchasing a discount dental plan as a supplement to your existing dental insurance coverage.