Arranging health insurance is one of the most important things you can do when you begin your life as an expat, but it’s just as important to make sure everything is covered. One common exclusion is dental coverage – you’ll sometimes have to pay extra for it or make sure you seek out a plan that includes dental as standard.
Adding dental coverage to your health insurance plan is extremely beneficial as it can help with the cost of various types of treatments, such as root canals, cosmetic dental bonding, gingivectomy, and orthodontic work. It is possible that if you are not covered for dental care, the cost of these procedures may be too high to afford.
Here are some more reasons why you should add a dental coverage to your plan.
Prevention Comes First
When you reach a certain age, it becomes more important to see your doctor on a regular basis, but visiting the Dental Clinic Memphis (or wherever you live) on a regular basis is always a good idea to avoid any oral complications, regardless of your age. It can be tempting to avoid check-ups if you don’t have dental coverage. Unfortunately, most dental problems are caused by decay, which develops slowly and without causing any symptoms until the problem is quite advanced. If you want to avoid painful, time-consuming, and expensive work in the future, prevention is essential.
Avoid Unexpected Costs
Expats are often surprised by the cost of dental care in foreign countries. In Singapore, for example, you can expect to pay much more than you would in the UK. This is largely because dental care is seen as more of a luxury in developing parts of the world, while general medical care is always more of a necessity. Unless you want to be hit by hefty bills, make sure your insurance covers dental.
Good Dentists Are Hard to Find
Since many foreign countries place less importance on dental hygiene than we do here in the United Kingdom, good dentists can be surprisingly hard to find. As a new expat, you’ll often find it hard to check credentials and that the clinic is practicing proper hygiene. An expat health insurance provider will be able to help you find a reliable dentist in your local area.
Private is Preferable
Finally, keep in mind that the difference between public and private dental care is usually vast in foreign countries compared to the UK. You’ll almost certainly have to go private to receive the same service you’d expect from any dentist at home, and that’s naturally going to cost a little more.