In the last blog post we talked about the different dental insurance plans that exist. Today I want to talk about the types of procedures that you may want to have covered. I do want to start off by saying that everyone is different. When you are shopping for insurance, it may be a good idea to know what type of procedures you may have had done in the past, because those procedures can inform you on what type of coverage you will need in the future. Another idea to keep in mind is what types of oral health goals you personally want to set for yourself so you can get the best smile going forward.
When looking for insurance coverage there are several categories that insurance companies use to label certain procedures. The three main categories are preventative, basic and major. Preventative or preventative and diagnostic care is considered all the dental care received that helps with prevention of disease and routine diagnostic procedures. Preventative care usually includes oral exams, cleanings and x-rays. Basic or basic restorative care are simple treatments that help with tooth maintenance, such as fillings and anesthetics. These types of treatments can typically be done the same day as diagnosed. Major or major restorative care is considered complex treatments that help with ailments that require multiple phases of therapy to correct. Major treatments usually include crowns, dentures and bridges. With in the categories of basic and major, there are other procedure types that can fall into those categories; those are Perio, Endo and Oral. Perio or periodontal care is the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of gum disease. Endo or Endodontic procedures include procedures that involve the soft tissue of teeth. Oral or Oral Surgery is procedures that involve the incision of oral tissues and abscesses. With these categories in mind, you should be able to ask a prospective insurance company what percentage of each type of procedure is covered.
After asking for percentages for each type of procedure, the next thing you may want to ask is what specific types of procedures are categorized as and perhaps the frequency and limitations that the plan you are looking at offers. For example, if you know you want to have an insurance plan that covers the entire cost of your semi annual check up, you should ask “what percentage is an exam or oral evaluation covered, and with what frequency?” “would my prophylaxis and bitewings share frequency?” “what about my cleanings?”. These specific questions are important because these are the procedures that your dentist will bill your insurance for. Other procedures you may be curious about are extractions, full mouth or panoramic x-rays, sealants, implants and ortho coverage. Briefly, orthodontic care includes  work to realign teeth and jaws using braces, retainers, spacers, headgear and more. So, if you are looking to straighten your teeth, knowing if your plan covers ortho would be important.
Lastly, and arguably one of the most important questions you want to ask the perspective insurance company are the financial details regarding your plan. Each person has different financial means and finding a plan that affordable should be the most important objective. Start by deciding if you need a family plan, single plan or dependent plan. Ask what is the yearly maximum, the deductible, and the family deductible for the plan. Another question you may want to ask is if there is a waiting period for the policy to kick in. The whole purpose of insurance is to prevent catastrophic financial loss and to make care more affordable. So knowing when all your benefits kick in is especially important.
I am proud that at the Texas Dental Group we take the time to call the insurance and get a coverage breakdown for all of our patients. As well as going over treatment plans so our patients get the most affordable care possible. To schedule an appointment with us, please call the location nearest you: Conroe - (936) 760-3050, Galveston - (409) 740-7744, Homestead - (713) 633-1922, and Richmond - (281) 238-4454.

I’m getting old! In a few short months, I will be turning 26 and as every millennial knows, that’s the age that you get kicked off your parent’s insurance. Now, I know what you’re thinking I am grown, and I clearly have a job (since I am writing this) so I should be able to find and afford insurance no problem! The sad thing is, you are probably correct, but I know nothing about insurance plans or the procedures I should probably have covered. So if you are like me, and you want to know more about the types of dental procedures you will probably need coverage for, keep reading.
The first thing I want to cover is the different types of insurance plans. When you are in the market for dental insurance, there are many different types of plans that offer varying amounts of coverage and varying degrees of flexibility in the provider of choice. For this reason I am going to break down the different types of insurance plans that are currently available.

According to the American Dental Association, the dental insurance types are as follows:

• Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO): A PPO plan is regular indemnity insurance combined with a network of dentists under contract to the insurance company to deliver specified services for set fees and according to the provisions of the contract. Contracted dentists must usually accept the maximum allowable fee as dictated by the plan, but non-contracted dentists may have fees either higher or lower than the plan allowance.
• Dental Health Maintenance Organizations (DHMO)/Capitation Plans: Under a DHMO or capitation plan, contracted dentists are “pre-paid” a certain amount each month for each patient that has been designated or assigned to that dentist. Dentists must then provide certain contracted services at no-cost or reduced cost to those patients. The plan usually does not reimburse the dentist or patient for individual services and therefore patients must generally receive treatment at a contracted office in order to receive a benefit.
• Indemnity Plans: An indemnity dental plan is sometimes called “traditional” insurance. In this type of plan, an insurance company pays claims based on the procedures performed, usually as a percentage of the charges.  Generally an indemnity plan allows patients to choose their own dentists, but it may also be paired with a PPO.  Most plans have a maximum allowance for each procedure referred to as “UCR” or “usual, customary and reasonable” fees. 
• Direct Reimbursement (DR®): Benefits in this type of plan are based on dollars spent, rather than on the type of treatment.  Direct Reimbursement is a self-funded plan that allows patients to go to the dentist of their choice.  Depending on the plan, the patient pays the dentist directly (or the benefit may be directly assigned to the dental office) and then submits a paid receipt or proof of treatment.  The administrator then reimburses the employee a percentage of the dental care costs.  With some plans there are no insurance claim forms to complete and no administrative processing to be done by the dental office or an insurance company.
• Point of Service Plans: Point of service options are arrangements in which patients with a managed care dental plan have the option of seeking treatment from an “out-of-network” provider.  The reimbursement to the patient is usually based on a low table of allowances; with significantly reduced benefits than if the patient had selected an “in network” provider.
• Discount or Referral Plans: Discount or referral plans are technically not insurance plans. The company selling the plan contracts with a network of dentists.  Contracted dentists agree to discount their dental fees.  Patients pay all the costs of treatment at the contracted rate determined by the plan and there are no dental claim forms to file.  Originally these plans were sold to individuals; however, more and more employers are purchasing these types of plans as the dental plan for the company’s employees.
• Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPO): Exclusive provider organization plans require that subscribers use only participating dentists if they want to be reimbursed by the plan.  These closed panel groups limit the subscriber’s choice of dentists and also can severely limit access to care.
• Table or Schedule of Allowances Plans: These types of plans are indemnity plans that pay a set dollar amount for each procedure, irrespective of the actual charges.  The patient is responsible for the difference between the carrier’s payment and the charged fee.  The plan may also be paired with a PPO that limits contracted dentists to a maximum allowable charge.

If you are still with me, that means you have read up on the different types of dental insurance plans that exist. Any given person may have none, one or any combination of these plans. If you don’t know what type of plan you currently have be sure to call your insurance and ask to speak to a representative.
At all the Texas Dental Group offices we accept Medicaid and PPO plans or plans from Preferred Provider Organizations. Please call any of our specific locations to find out if you are considered “in-network” have your insurance card ready when you call. Conroe - (936) 760-3050, Galveston - (409) 740-7744, Homestead - (713) 633-1922, and Richmond - (281) 238-4454.
For more information about dental plans please refer to the American Dental Association website: https://success.ada.org/en/dental-benefits/dental-plan-overview.

With summer being in full swing, we all know what that means! WEDDING SEASON. And whether it is your wedding day or some distant relative you really don’t know, I am here to give you the tea on looking snatched no matter what the situation is. Let me help you get all the way together with some helpful advice to make that special day everything.
Weddings are joyous events that inspire love, hope and happiness! And so when you know you are going to be a guest at a wedding there are some things you should do to prepare. Whether you are going stag or with someone, you want to be sure that you have been keeping up with your semi annual oral exams. This is one of the most important steps for wedding season because no one wants to kiss a dirty mouth. Just kidding. All jokes aside, who better to tell you where your problem areas are than your dentist and your oral hygienist. Seriously, let professionals help you start your journey.
The next thing you should do is call for a consultation. When you call us or your dental office let them know that you are looking into having work done for a wedding or even your wedding. When you go in for a consultation at any of the Texas Dental Group location, depending on the state your teeth are currently in, they may recommend a special type of veneer called Lumineers, teeth whitening, or even Fastbraces. Lumineers are similar to crowns but they are only meant for aesthetic purposes and they go on the front of your teeth. To prepare for Lumineers the dentist may only shave a little bit of the front of your teeth and cement a perfect porcelain veneer on top of your existing tooth to give clients their desired look. To give the dentist plenty of time to get your Lumineer placed visit the dentist at least two months in advance to the wedding date. Veneers are going to help offer the most immediate results for getting your teeth where you want them for the wedding.

To get the best deal at our office for veneers, in the month of August Lumineers will be buy 6 get 2 free. Now, the teeth whitening we offer at Texas Dental Group includes a to-go treatment and an in-house treatment. If it is your wedding day, the bride and groom should definitely get a teeth whitening because your teeth in contrast to the white dress will stand out. You will also probably take a million photos that will last forever. Depending on the state of your teeth and how sensitive your gums are to the treatment you may need to do more than one session of whitening so keep that in mind when you are preparing for the wedding. During the whitening process you may also want to stay away from foods and drinks that will stain your teeth such as berries, red wine and coffee. So, don’t play yourself, and get your teeth whitened; you’re welcome! At Texas Dental Group, we also offer a service called Fastbraces, which can straighten your teeth in as little as three to six months (yes, you read correctly; our Senior Master Provider Dr. Tran is that good)!

In fact, for the rest of the month of July our Fastbraces are 20% off, so don’t waste any time. Call today! Conroe (936) 760-3050, Galveston (409) 740-7744, Houston (713) 633-1922, and Richmond (281) 238-4454.
The last piece of advice I would like to offer is maintain safe sexual practices. You and your partner should maintain safe sexual practices because believe it or not, it is good for your oral health. Keep in mind, certain strains of HPV can lead to oral cancer and that is why it is important to know your status, get vaccinated, get tested regularly and use protection. Now, enjoy your wedding season. For more information on the correlation of HPV and oral cancer please visit the following websites hosted by the Oral Cancer Foundation, the United States Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Dental Association (ADA): https://oralcancerfoundation.org/understanding/hpv/hpv-oral-cancer-facts/, https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/basic_info/hpv_oropharyngeal.htm, and https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/h/hpv-and-oral-cancer.

Hello again! It’s Allison. With summer in full swing, I wanted to get on here and give y’all some summer vacation tips that will ensure a delightful time no matter what you are up to.

1. Make time for a check up! With the kids off of school this is an excellent time to bring in the whole family for a check up. We should all know, prevention isn’t just brushing your teeth and flossing twice daily; it’s establishing a good consistent relationship with your dentist. So before planning any trips be sure to pay us a visit so while on vacation you can have peace of mind. And we, your dental office will be able to tell you about any problem areas. As well as have the most current information about your teeth and xrays.
2. Don’t forget to pack your floss and your toothbrush! Since I am the queen of last minute packing, I am forever guilty of forgetting things. Unfortunately, I think my commonly most forgotten item is my sonicare (aka my toothbrush). When I forget my toothbrush, what I do is I’ll typically look for the nearest pharmacy and buy a new toothbrush. As for my floss, I never forget to pack it, because I keep a travel size package in my bag of travel sized toiletries that stays in my weekend bag.
3. Make sure you pack your dental hygiene products appropriately! For all your dental hygiene toiletries be sure to pack travel sizes to make TSA a breeze and to save space. I remember when I was in college, I had this friend who decided to pack an entire container of mouthwash in her bag for the cruise we went on for spring break. The weight of her bag was so heavy and I wondered if that mouthwash was even worth it. My friend was an aspiring dentist and was pretty obsessed with oral hygiene, so she definitely had enough mouthwash to share!
4. Brush with bottled water! If you are traveling in a country where you don’t really know about the quality of the water, save yourself the potential harm and brush with bottled water. Getting sick on vacation is the worst so just to be on the safe side always brush with bottled water in case the water system is compromised.
5. Get back on track! Sometimes while on vacation we completely forget to be consistent with our daily routine of brushing and flossing. The first thing to say, is don’t beat yourself up. We are human we are allowed to truly enjoy a vacation without having to worry about miniscule things. However, when you get back from vacation, it’s important to get back on track. Subsequently following a vacation, it is important to brush for at least two minutes and floss twice daily if you haven’t kept up with a daily regimen.  

So if there is anything to take away from this blog post, have an amazing summer, and don’t forget to stop in and see us! To schedule an appointment with us: https://www.texasdental.group/conroe1.html.

Hello Blog! My name is Allison and I am a media consultant with the Texas Dental Group. Part of my job is to write blog posts that will hopefully get you thinking about your dental health. Before working with the Texas Dental group, I have to admit I never really gave much thought about my dental health. So, in this job I intend to learn a lot and teach the blogosphere about what I am learning. This week, I pondered a much asked question that you may also be curious about. The question is: how often should I be flossing?

According to the American Dental Association (and furthermore every dentist, hygienist, and cardiovascular surgeon on the planet), you should probably be flossing twice a day. Unbeknownst to my employers, I have probably never flossed in my life. The only flossing I do is when I am trying to impress somebody (and when I go to the dentist for my semiannual cleaning). Now, that I have learned this small fact about flossing, I wondered why something so trivial would be so important to my health. Apparently, in addition to getting rid of debris between your teeth (which left untreated can lead to cavities), flossing helps prevent plaque build up. By flossing, an individual can lower their likelihood of gum disease, gingivitis, tooth decay and believe it or not heart disease. You see, plaque build up on your gums can enter your blood stream and clog your arteries.

So, instead of flossing when I’m trying to impress somebody, I’ll be flossing twice a day after I brush my teeth. For more information about flossing please refer to this link hosted by the American Dental Association: https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/floss. To schedule an appointment with us, please use the following link: www.texasdental.group/conroe1.html.

Welcome to the Blog of Texas Dental Group. This blog is a space for education and humor within the context of dental hygiene and oral health. Our aim is to educate the community about good dental practices, prevalent health correlations and disparities, as well as giving insights into the dental profession. Our hope is to inspire people to make more informed decisions about their health by using safer health practices.