Dental Coverage in Obamacare? Yes and It's Easy to Get!

Now that the furor in Washington over Obamacare has subsided, at least for the time being, Americans are starting to take a closer look at just what the new law entails. Dental insurance is an important component of the Affordable Care Act that rarely gets talked about, but it’s there – and Virginia resident Sarah Bedard Holland wants you to know about it.

Bedard Holland is the executive director of the Virginia Oral Health Coalition, an advocacy group committed to oral health awareness in the state. During the Obamacare rollout this fall, she has been traveling around Virginia telling residents about the many dental care options available through the Affordable Care Act. 

Unfortunately, most Americans are surprised to hear Obamacare and dental care in the same sentence. The dental element of the law has received very little coverage, probably because there have been so many fireworks surrounding other aspects of the legislation.

Bedard Holland says Virginians, and indeed all Americans, should get the facts about dental insurance coverage now that the government healthcare exchanges have gone live. Most residents don’t know, she explains, that the Affordable Care Act mandates pediatric dental insurance policies, so children will now be able get quality, affordable dental coverage. The exchanges also have cheap dental insurance for individuals and families.

Another thing Americans should understand about Obamacare is that comprehensive, affordable dental coverage is often embedded within the broader health insurance plans on offer. Buy a good plan from one of the exchanges and your dental care could very well be included. 

Americans should do their research before signing up – Bedard Holland says it’s easy to forget about dental coverage when you’re preoccupied with getting a quality health insurance plan.

“There will be so many things to think about it’s easy to imagine that the dental plans will be pushed aside,” she cautioned.

Overlooking dental coverage is a mistake many Americans come to regret. Studies show oral health is very much linked to overall health, and delaying proper dental care can be dangerous. The Affordable Care Act, for all its faults, will allow more Americans to go to the dentist – and that is a good thing.