PPO plans, because of the economics involved, force the dentist to produce more work and work faster. This, too, results in a degradation of the quality of care to the patient unless the dentist is willing to settle for a higher overhead and a lower income. Few reputable and ethical dentists participate in these plans as well. In many cases employees would be far better served by simply having their employers pay them the amount spent on their dental plan premium as wages, and allow them to make their own choices about who cares for them. There is now some progress in Congress to allow individual workers to start their own tax-exempt, medical savings plans.
Some patients feel that they absolutely have to have dental insurance.
We definitely do not recommend an uninsured individual purchasing a dental plan on their own. Under current tax law, you may not deduct the premiums from your personal income taxes the way an employer can, so there is no tax advantage to you. In our office we have never compromised quality of care for economic issues. We have never belonged to an HMO plan and so far resisted PPO plans and State welfare as well. We believe firmly that all patients deserve the right to choose their own doctor.