Because fluoride is incorporated into the enamel as the tooth is being formed, it is of special benefit to children. Dental insurance is offered primarily through group plans of employers or unions and can be a valuable asset to your family. About 100 million Americans are presently enrolled in dental plans. Because insurance carriers understand the long-range economic benefits of regular dental care, some dental plans are designed so that patients who use them regularly pay a smaller percentage of the bill. For example, if the patient using the plan has regular yearly checkups, the patient's portion of the co-payment ratio may decrease the following year.
Many plans cover examinations and preventive care more fully than restorative services.
Very little public assistance is available for dental health care in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, eight-tenths of 1 percent of the Medicaid dollar is available for dental health care. Information about this program and the extent of dental care available can be obtained from the Department of Human Services or the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. The Oklahoma Dental Association may refer an individual to low-cost dental care centers, such as public health clinics and dental school clinics. In dental school clinics, care is provided by graduate dentists or dental students under the careful supervision of faculty experts.