Review of American Health Shield Dental Insurance

If you had emergency dental treatment services in the past, you know the costs are outrageous. If you are a parent with a child or children in need of orthodontia treatment, you know the associated cost is barely affordable.  A solution to reducing costs associated with both dental and orthodontia care would be to enroll in a dental insurance plan. One known plan is offered by American Health Shield Dental Insurance. 

American Health Shield Dental Insurance is a high benefit level insurance that is available in most states. Individuals that do not have dental insurance with their employers find these plans most beneficial. Plans are available to individuals and families from birth to the age of 64. American Dental Insurance offers affordable premiums ranging from $25 for individuals to $125 for family care. Plan costs are dependent the services provided and the plan type. Currently, American Health Shield Dental Insurance has two plans: Plan A and Plan B.

Plan A

Plan A has fours classes of benefits: Class I, Class II, Class III, and Class IV.  Class I covers 100 percent of preventive care services such as exams, cleanings and fluoride. Class II benefits include 75 percent coverage for emergency pain relief treatments, fillings, simple extractions, periodontal maintenance, after hour visits and consultations. Class III covers 50 percent of complicated procedures like oral surgery, root canals, gum disease treatments, crowns, bridges and various other services. Class IV is appealing to individuals interested in orthodontist services with 50 percent coverage for children under the age of 19. 

Plan B

Plan B covers everything covered in Class A. However, unlike Class A, all services in this class are only covered for 50 percent of the services. Additionally, Plan B requires a $20 deductible for each office visit. 

Unlike many other insurance plans, preexisting conditions are covered. Individuals are eligible for Class I coverage within 6 months. However, eligibility for Classes II to IV does not begin until 12 to 24 months of coverage, dependent of the class type. Services related to workers comp, treatment by unlicensed dentists, cosmetic surgery, medications, prosthetics, war injuries and a few other services are excluded. Overall, American Health Shield Dental Insurance offers decent plans for budget-conscious consumers.