 Hello everybody. Andrea here. Now let's talk about dental insurance and do you actually need it? So this does depend on a few factors. I want to talk to you guys about those factors. Whether you are self employed, you're wondering should you get dental insurance, or if you have a chance to really upgrade your plan, maybe you are retiring, you might want to keep your plan, but you're not sure. So let me give you guys the rundown. So it really depends on how well you take care of your teeth. Dental insurance is an amazing thing. It truly is. But let's say you have to pay a deductible, or let's say you're paying $200 a month for your policy to maybe be 80% covered or something like that. It might be better to just save your money and just kind of save up per month to really account for that. It's truly up to you. But the thing is, dental insurance does cover a lot of things. So they will cover your basic exams, teeth cleanings, and x-rays. Those are what you are going to get most often. They will cover every six months, nine months, in some cases even every three months for some people. They will cover a certain percentage of that and that depends on your tier policy. So there's typically a, you know, number one, number two, and number three. Number one is going to be the minimum. Number two is going to be the middle where you have to pay a bit more per month, but you might get a lot more coverage. Number three is the best plan. You're going to pay more, but you get the best coverage. So it really depends that way. Okay. So, and that mainly covers those cleanings, x-rays, and exams. What it might not cover is the more extreme services such as crowns, bridges, root canals. I should say the basic plan also covers fillings, but what I'm talking about is kind of the next step. So like, again, crowns, bridges, implants, root canals. Anything that requires more, and the dentist basically has to spend more time on, they're sending something to the lab, something like that. So your policy will be different. So just because you might be covered 80% for teeth cleanings for something more extreme, like a restorative type service that way, you might only be covered 50%. So it's good to check into those things as well. But again, think about it. Let's say you are going to get your teeth cleaned every six months, no doubt. Then just kind of look at yourself. How much do you pay for those teeth cleanings every six months? How much would you pay per month for that insurance policy to be 80% covered? It might be absolutely worth it for you. So really look at that policy. But if you're thinking, well, one day I might need a crown. One day I might need a bridge. And the insurance company is paying 50%. That sounds great. I'm going to sign up just in case I need a crown, a bridge or something like that in the near future. Now what you could do too, let's say you have a current policy and you're going to your dentist or dental hygienist, let them know your policy is going to end that year or the next year. You're going to have to wait in the next two years and do they see anything that might pose a problem in the near future? I see many, many patients where I might say this tooth has a very large filling. It looks fine, but within five years I'm going to suggest you put a crown over top of that to really protect that tooth. It's not going to last forever. I said that to you and your insurance is running out in two years. You might say to me, well, can we do that crown now? Just so I don't have to worry about it in five years and then pay for it. So you can think about things that way too. So it is hard to answer, do you need dental insurance or not? Because it depends on you, your mouth, and the different policies you are able to sign up for. As an example, I do not currently have dental insurance, but I don't feel like I need to sign up for that because I take good care of my teeth. I am a dental hygienist. I'm a restorative hygienist, a specialist, so I really do feel like I can take care of my teeth, but I also avoid a lot of sugar. I brush three times a day. I have a waterpink and I get my teeth cleaned every six months. So let's say I do get a cavity knock on wood, hopefully not. It would be very small and cost me a lot less than if I went to the dentist once every five years because I was worried about the cost. There's going to be a lot of problems potentially if you go once every five years. You are like a car, okay? If you get regular maintenance, regular oil changes, your car is going to be better for it and you're actually saving money in the long run. Your mouth and teeth are no different. If you see your dental hygienists at least every six months, if any problems happen, we can catch them so much sooner, saving you a fortune or no problems will happen because you're taking such good care of your teeth. Another way to save money, so kind of a side note, is to brush you guys twice a day, three times a day. Brush lightly not too hard because you don't want to damage the gum around the teeth. Make sure to use the right toothbrush for you. It could be a manual. It could be an electric, whatever works best for you. This is a mouthwash that can't hurt. I love a water pick. I use a water pick several times a day to help to clean in between my teeth to get food out of there and see your dental hygienists every six months. That is the best way to save money, take care of your teeth, your oral health, because you just have one mouth. You just have one set of teeth now, right? So you want to take good care of them. So really look to see how much you're currently spending and then if an insurance plan is right for you because it really depends on those factors. So let me know you guys if you have any questions and comment below and thank you guys so much for watching. Click like to this video if you like it and please make sure to click subscribe because that does help me and my channel. Thank you guys very much and talk to you in the next video.