Dental HMO or PREPAID PLANS
Dental Health Maintenance Organization (DHMO) plans, also referred to as pre-paid plans, require you to choose one dentist or dental facility to coordinate all of your oral health needs. If you need to see a specialist, your primary care dentist will refer you; specialty care may require preauthorization.
A typical DHMO-type plan doesn't have any deductibles or maximums. Instead, when you receive a dental service, you pay a fixed dollar amount for the treatment (a "copayment"). Often, diagnostic and preventive services have no copayment, so you pay nothing for these services. However, generally if you visit a dentist outside of the network, you may be responsible for the entire bill. These plans can be a very affordable option for individuals and families.
DHMO plans set copayments, no annual deductibles and no maximums for covered benefits. In most states, enrollees must select a primary care dentist in the DHMO network from whom they receive treatment as in a traditional DHMO.