If you need to look for a new dentist, you want to make sure that they accept your family’s insurance plan. When you're moving towns, changing jobs, or switching to a new dental insurance policy, you may need to find a new dentist's office. You may love your current dentist's excellent service and dental work, and you might have already built relationships with the staff. However, ensuring that you receive affordable dental care for you and your family is key. A significant part is having a dentist is in-network with their specific dental insurance plan for most patients. Whether you have dental insurance for seniors or your entire family, you want to be sure that you always see a dentist that takes it. How do I find a dentist in my network? There are two main ways: through personal recommendations and your insurance provider. Recommendations One of the most valuable ways to find a great dentist in your area is through word-of-mouth recommendations. While online reviews can give you a general idea of how an office operates, your friends and family members often understand your specific needs best. However, if your job offers dental, then don’t miss the opportunity to talk to your coworkers as well! Unless they’re using a spouse’s plan, they will most likely be on the same one as you. Not only will they help you find a great office in your insurance network, but they can ensure it’s one nearby the office. Your Provider You can also go directly to your dental insurance provider to see which dentists are in their network. Most providers have a page on their website dedicated to helping patients locate dentists in their area. You can find a dozen or more dentists here in Long Beach by inputting your location and plan type. Just be sure to give those offices a call when deciding which ones might be the right choice. These insurance sites aren't always updated to the last minute, so double-checking with the office is a smart decision.

Evaluating Your Options Once you’ve collected about half a dozen or more dental offices, you want to see which ones are a good fit for your specific needs. You have an idea of what your family will require throughout the year. It’s crucial you take these variables into account when narrowing down your list to one or two dentists. Services As tiring as the dentist search process can be, you don't want to have to do it more than once, if you can help it. During your research, see which services these clinics provide. The more services they can offer, the better. Keeping everything under one roof can be invaluable, especially when meeting your family's various needs. If you know that you or a family member will require specialized treatment, be sure to take this into account. You don't want to look for an orthodontist or prosthodontist simultaneously while finding your primary dentist. Imagine how exhausting that would be! Convenience A great dentist is always one who can readily meet your needs rather than requiring you to make changes to fit theirs. You want a dental office to be convenient for you. As realtors say, it's all about "location, location, location." Who wants to drive an hour for an appointment if another equally good dentist is right around the corner from your home? A practice's office hours can also make a big difference. When looking into potential offices, check whether they're open before and after work or on the weekends. The less often you need to call out of work for necessary dentist visits, the better. Alternative Financing Dental insurance isn’t the end-all, be-all of affordable dental care. Most treatments are only partially covered by insurance, and some treatments aren’t covered at all. Still, you want to make sure they can have a beautiful, healthy smile while staying within their budget. If you may need additional assistance affording your dental work, many offices in Long Beach also have a wide variety of alternative financing options. Here at Long Beach Family Dentist, we offer in-house financing and accept CareCredit Dental, Wells Fargo Health Advantage, and dental discount plans. Making Your Final Decision After narrowing down your list to one or two dentists, it’s time for you to visit them. Calls to the front office can only tell you so much, and you want to make sure that this is the right practice for you and your family. By seeing the office in-person, you can get a good look at the office’s atmosphere, technology, and layout. Are the front office staff friendly and helpful? Do you have to wait long in the waiting room? Are the patient suites clean, well-equipped, and private? Be sure to take the time to sit down with the dentist giving you a tour. Get to know them, and be sure to ask them any questions you have about the office. You want to feel comfortable around your dentist, and their attitude in a one-on-one discussion can tell you a lot. How often they smile, whether they crack jokes, and how easily they can answer your questions can all help you feel confident entrusting them with your smile. If you’re looking for a family dentist, don’t be shy. Bring your kids with you! The right dentist will make sure everyone feels relaxed and happy in their care.

Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Best Kind Of Dental Insurance? There are several different kinds of dental insurance plans—Paid Provider Organization (PPO), Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), and dental indemnity. When choosing a policy for your family, you want to make sure to get affordable dental insurance that works best for your individual needs. At Long Beach Family Dentist, our office accepts all dental PPOs as well as Cigna dental HMO insurance. What's the difference between PPOs and HMOs, and which one is right for your family? PPO Dental Insurance PPO dental insurance is often considered the best type of insurance. Why is PPO insurance better than HMO insurance? PPOs are incredibly flexible. They usually come with the broadest dentists network, allowing you the greatest opportunity to find a fantastic dentist here in Long Beach. You aren't restricted to seeing in-network dentists either, but you will have more significant savings if you see one who is. Our dental practice is in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, Principal, United Concordia, United Healthcare, Liberty, and Aetna dental insurance. PPOs also don’t require you to choose a primary care dentist or get their referral to see a specialist. This can be especially helpful for patients who are travelling for business or vacation when dental emergencies strike. However, with this freedom usually comes higher costs. These plans come with higher premiums and a deductible that must be met before your provider will reimburse your treatments. HMO Dental Insurance HMO insurance is much more restricting than PPOs, but it’s also more affordable. These plans have lower premiums, and treatments are usually set at fixed rates. Most also don’t have a maximum amount that the provider will cover annually. With these lower annual costs come some drawbacks. HMOs don’t have as broad a network, and they only allow patients to see an in-network dentist, whom they must assign as their primary care dentist. If you need dental care that your primary dentist doesn’t provide, then you’ll need to be referred to an in-network specialist. What Treatments Does Dental Insurance Cover? Even the best dental insurance plans don’t pay for everything. Providers focus on the routine and essential treatments needed to keep your smile healthy, and they cover enough to make them affordable. Most plans follow a 100-80-50 payment structure, but you should always check with your provider to be sure: Preventive care (100% covered): two dental cleanings and exams annually Basic treatments (80% covered): fillings, periodontal work, tooth extractions Major treatments (50% covered): tooth crowns, root canals, dental bridges Full coverage dental insurance doesn't pay for 100% of every procedure like its name might suggest. These plans instead cover a wider array of treatments, including orthodontics and dental implants. However, with dental insurance for implants, they typically cover only the crown's cost, rather than the entire prosthetic. Elective treatments like cosmetic dentistry are never included. How Much Is Dental Insurance? For many patients, their dental insurance is included as a health benefit from their employer. However, this isn’t always the case, and patients have to buy insurance for themselves and their families. There’s no blanket cost for dental insurance. Instead, the exact price depends on several variables: Provider Type of insurance Level of coverage Location Deductibles If you need help choosing the best dental insurance plan for your family, we’re here to help! You can call our Long Beach dental office at (562) 999-3602 to schedule a financial consultation with us today.