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Investing in Dental Insurance for College Students Before They Leave Home

Getting dental insurance for college students may help preserve your kid’s smile (and your wallet) for years to come.

It’s one thing to ignore medical insurance. We all know the potential pitfalls of that. But ignoring dental insurance is a bigger problem because it tends to play more under the radar. Dental insurance doesn’t get as much press as medical insurance, but you can find yourself paying astronomical fees for maintenance, x-rays, or operations if you ignore coverage. Those are some very good reasons to look at dental insurance for college students if you have children heading off to college. Not every worthwhile investment in your life will come in the form of the stock market or real estate, and dental care is one of them!

We know when our kids go to school, it’s easy to forget things like dental care. You might be surprised to find out how common it is for college students to need oral work, though. And an emergency situation is not where you want to find yourself thinking about where you can afford to pay in cash.

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Consider these reasons for getting dental insurance for college students

Most parents pay great care and attention to their children’s health and oral care through high school. Now that your kids are on their own, they need to start taking care of these things for themselves. Even if you managed to take care of major maintenance issues early on, it is not uncommon to require operations for wisdom teeth during college.

Wisdom teeth operations can become very complex depending on how the teeth are coming in, but that’s just the start of the help students could need. Keeping up with regular appointments and cleanings is vital for the students’ oral health. If they begin to neglect their care, more comprehensive help could be required.

Whether parents want to admit it or not, many college students experiment with alcohol and recreational drugs. Whether it’s alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana, any of these things in excess can create a hospitable environment for bacteria in the mouth, creating a higher likelihood of cavities.

Even if your child avoids all of these things, stress from classes can be just as bad. Stress is known to affect the salivary glands in the mouth. A dry oral space again increases the risk of cavities. So regardless of one’s lifestyle, there is a consistent need to keep oral health on the list of priorities.

Finding dental insurance for students where they are studying

One way or the other, dental insurance is critical during college years. Risking time without it could mean paying out of pocket for a big-time dental bill. Browse a reputable healthcare website to see what dental coverage is offered in the student’s college or university area. Aetna and Cigna are two places you might want to look. Other top choices include UnitedHealthOne, Humana, Spirit, and Renaissance.

You can also find dental coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace. Some health insurance coverages also have dental included, but you may need to shop dental policies separately. If you shop for a dental policy separate from the standard health insurance policy, you will be paying two separate premiums for each.

How long do you have before you need dental insurance for college students? Who is going to pay for it?

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Nancy Zambell has spent 30 years educating and helping individual investors navigate the minefields of the financial industry. She has created and/or written numerous investment publications, including UnDiscovered Stocks, UnTapped Opportunities, and Nancy Zambell’s Buried Treasures under $10. Nancy has worked with MoneyShow.com for many years as an editor and interviewer for their on-site video studios.