5 Reasons You Should Get Dental Insurance

Intro:

The dental insurance market measured an estimated $86.2B in 2022 in the United States. The insurance industry market had a size of $1.4T in 2021.

In 2022, 156 million Americans procured oral health insurance, and freelancers should be among them since self-employed dental insurance now exists.

Independent contractors have become the new small business owner, including solopreneurs. Thus, whether or not their companies remain afloat depends on their business acuity and health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of adults between the ages of 20 to 64 have an untreated cavity.  Untreated cavities can lead to:

• Pain
• Infection
• Spreading to other teeth
• Need for more extensive dental work

An estimated 90% of adults will develop at least one cavity in their lifetimes. Regular visits to the dentist and solid at-home oral health habits might not prevent cavities, but they will help minimize them.

Purchasing a dental health insurance policy is one way to keep teeth healthy. Most policies cover the fees of two annual dental cleanings and exams 100%. Then, policies cover 80%, 50%, and 30% dental work costs.

Therefore, oral health policies also help the insured save money.

The following are five reasons you should get dental insurance as a freelancer.

1. Protect Your Business

Most small businesses employ less than 20 employees. Plus, 51 million freelancers consider themselves solopreneurs.

Thus, entrepreneurs have responsibilities to themselves, their employees, and their business partners.

Dental insurance helps professionals remain productive. Since it covers cleanings and some dental work costs, individuals can address oral pain and discomfort before it becomes debilitating.

Healthy entrepreneurs can focus on growing their ventures and keeping them afloat. Moreover, individuals can keep up with deadlines and commitments that earn them income.

Solopreneurs impact their ability to earn an income when they take time off. Oral pain can cause significant discomfort and lower productivity.

2. Protect Your Oral Health

In addition, dental insurance helps entrepreneurs protect their oral health. Insurance benefits expire annually. Thus, failing to cash them in becomes a loss.

Viewing the potential loss as a positive should motivate professionals to see their dentist twice annually. Visits serve two purposes – preventive and treatment.

Ideally, patients will walk out of the dentist’s office with freshly cleaned and polished teeth without further treatment. More realistically, patients will also receive tips for maintaining good oral health and warnings about potential future treatment needs.

Nonetheless, the visits that insurance pays for help individuals protect their oral health.

3. Save Money

Dental insurance helps patients save money when undergoing in-depth treatments, such as root canals, crowns, and periodontal cleanings.

Policies outline the amount that they will cover per treatment type. For example, some policies cover 80% of cavity-filling fees. Then, policies might cover 30% crowns and 50% root canal fees.

For freelancers, saving money matters so does undergoing treatments that will keep them productive.

Some individuals develop peripheral oral health concerns, such as teeth grinding, TMJ, or oral health cancer. Insurance can cover the consultations to assess these conditions and treatment that dentists might recommend.

4. Cash In the Benefits

Insurance policies last one year as long as individuals pay their monthly fees. Thus, policyholders accrue benefits, such as those two annual cleanings and exams.

Bi-annual cleanings can make the difference between saving teeth and losing them to gum disease, deep cavities, or injury.

The opportunity to cash in dental insurance benefits also helps professionals age better.

5. Develop Sound Habits

It’s easy to get caught up in what’s happening today. However, entrepreneurs must consider the future more often than employees.

Professionals who plan to work until they reach retirement age and then, enjoy retirement must take steps to secure that kind of future.

Eating several types of food, including crunchy ones, is one of the joys of life. It’s nice to enjoy a decadent dessert or a good night’s sleep without feeling pain from a hidden cavity or developing a TMJ condition.

Dental insurance acts as an incentive for individuals to visit their dentist. Thus, they are more likely to develop sound oral health habits.

Conclusion

Since entrepreneurs depend on themselves to keep their business operations stable, they must keep themselves in good health. Oral health is essential to well-being, and dental insurance helps freelancers protect their businesses while saving money.