kid and dentist

Dental Insurance for Kids

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, your child should start seeing a dentist who specializes in pediatric care shortly before your child’s first birthday. After that first visit, your child should see a dentist every six months to be sure he or she is keeping up with oral hygiene, to fix any small dental problems like cavities, and to get a thorough cleaning.

BlueCare Dental PPO, the dental plan offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, has your child covered every step of the way.

Premiums & Services Covered

The monthly premiums to add a child to the dental plan are low, starting at around $45 for parent and child(ren) and $75 to cover the entire family. BlueCare Dental PPO has a generous $1500 cap on services per individual, per year.

If you take your child to an in-network provider, all of his or her preventive care such as checkups, cleanings, and x-rays, is 100% covered. Minor procedures such as fixing a cavity or extracting a stubborn baby tooth are 80% covered, requiring a 20% copay.

Orthodontics

Orthodontics, or the equipment and procedures used to straighten crooked or misaligned teeth, are not covered by BlueCare Dental PPO. In fact, they are not covered by most insurance plans because crooked teeth are viewed as a cosmetic rather than a dental issue.

However, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois recognizes that orthodontic work can be a daunting expense. They have arranged with their network of preferred dental providers to offer the parents of children with BlueCare Dental PPO a 20% discount on orthodontic treatments. Parents can save up to $1000 by using this benefit.

Selecting a Dentist for Your Child

When I was a kid, my parents took me to see an old ex-army dentist. He growled and barked orders at me as if he were still commanding a troop. His dental skills were excellent, but his skills in dealing with young children were sadly lacking, and I ended up with a lifelong fear of dentists.

Spare your child a similar experience by going to an in-network pediatric specialist whose entire office environment is designed to put children at ease and alleviate their fears.

To find a good match for your child, talk to your dentist and to your child’s pediatrician and ask whom they would recommend for pediatric dental care.

It’s a good idea to schedule a consultation with any pediatric dentist you are considering prior to bringing your child in the door. Look for someone with the following qualities:

  • Has experience treating pediatric patients
  • Understands how children develop cognitively
  • Is patient
  • Is willing to explain complex procedures to your child as well as to you
  • Demonstrates an ability to get along well with children

If a child is treated kindly by the dentist from the very beginning, he or she may never develop the fear of dentistry that is so common among the general population.