PPO dental insurance is the second common type of managed care plan, along with HMO insurance. As is the case with HMO plans, employees often offer PPO dental insurance to their workers. If you need dental insurance, PPO plans allow you to get coverage both within and outside a preferred provider network.

Advantages to PPO Dental Insurance

When it comes to dental insurance, PPO plans provide important benefits and advantages:

• Greater choice among dentists: "PPO" stands for Preferred Provider Organization, giving you the ability to choose any dentist within a network. A primary difference in HMO vs. PPO plans, however, is that PPO plans allow you to see a dentist outside of the network, while still providing some benefit. You'll likely have to pay more out of pocket to visit non-network providers, but it will still be cheaper than without such a plan. In addition, many dentists prefer to join PPO networks due to direct payment from the carrier.
• Shorter wait times: Compared with HMO plans, dental insurance PPO plans often receive faster care and experience fewer appointment delays. When you're in immediate need of dental care, this can be a welcome advantage.

Disadvantages of PPO Dental Insurance

Although PPO dental insurance is currently the most popular variety of dental plan offered, it has its disadvantages:

• Higher deductibles: Dental insurance of this type is more likely to require a yearly deductible than other insurance plans. You'll have to pay a certain amount before your benefits begin. Depending on your plan, this can be anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars.
• More expensive than an HMO: Although PPO plans result in reduced out-of-pocket costs when visiting the dentist as compared to having no insurance, these costs are somewhat higher than those associated with HMO plans. The premiums can be more expensive than with HMO plans, as well.
• Provider choice is somewhat limited: In comparing HMO vs. PPO dental insurance, PPO offers you greater treatment choices among dentists. However, compared with a dental indemnity plan, which provides full choice of dentists without penalty, seeking care outside your network with a PPO plan will result in increased costs.