Patients look for new ways to save on dental care

Most U.S. consumers (72%) are looking for ways to save money on their dental expenses, according to a new WellPoint survey.

Three-quarters of the survey respondents agreed that it is important to have dental insurance to maintain good oral health, and two-thirds said say that without insurance they are less likely to visit the dentist.

More than half of the survey respondents (52%) said they save money by using dental networks.

Here are some other survey findings:

• More than half of the survey respondents wanted to have their dental bills paid (52%), followed by whiter teeth (42%), no cavities (37%), healthier gums (33%), and straighter teeth (24%).
• Nearly half of those surveyed (45%) said their dental network helps them save money in lower out-of-pocket expenses.
• Some 38% said that having an extensive dental network means greater access to providers, more access to dental specialists (38%), more services covered in-network (38%), and convenience of having a dentist nearby (36%).

The survey was conducted online among a national sample of 2,500 Americans 18 years old and older. The survey has a margin of error of ±2.0% at the 95% confidence level.