Sadly many people do not buy dental insurance when they are not receiving it from their employer.  They continue to go without dental insurance often times because they either feel they can afford their preventive care such as twice a year cleaning’s or they are going without dental care because their teeth are not bothering them and feel they do not need twice a year check ups.    

However the problem with that line of thinking is two fold. For the person that can afford preventive dental care, why pay for something when most insurance plans pay 100% for preventive dental care? Even low cost dental insurance plans such as HMO’s will normally have preventive dental care for free.  Also ask yourself will you still be able to pay for dental care out of pocket if you do need to have larger dental care needs. Dental care can become expensive quickly once you get beyond preventive dental care services.   

For the individuals that do not have dental insurance because they do not go to the dentist.  Sure it would be hard to say to buy something if you do not have intentions on using it. And in the short term this method may seem the best way in saving money.  However without regular dental visits you do put yourself at a higher risk of needing larger much more costly dental care needs.  Also when you wait to buy dental insurance until you are in need of larger dental care needs you limit the plans that can address your dental care due to the fact that many dental insurance plans have waiting periods for major dental care services. Delaying dental care in the end will be more expensive to you in the long run.