Adrian Fristensky here again from www.CalDentalPlan.com.  This week's topic is about Dental Plans and Dental Insurance.  The difference between a Dental HMO (DHMO) like the plan I offer and a Dental Discount plan is this:  A DHMO, with rates starting at $7.95 monthly for a single person, has negotiated rates with participating dentists that those dentists have agreed with the company to perform the services for.  You know the price of a Root Canal or Filling before going in. Although I ALWAYS recommend clarifying rates with the dental office BEFORE you have the procedure. Compare this with a Dental Discount Plan which is exactly what it is. You may see ads that say, Save 50% on Cleanings, etc.  But 50% off of WHAT PRICE? What is the starting price? This could fluctuate depending on the office you go to as each office charges different rates for that Root Canal or Filling. Enough said.  Now......the other type of plan is a Dental PPO, or DPPO.  This type of plan allows you MUCH greater freedom of choice of dentists.  Most dentists accept this type of plan. The problem I have with this type of plan is that there are normally 6 month waiting periods for basic things like cleanings as well as an annual cap of what they wil pay towards your care that can be as low as $1,000. These type of plans are pretty expensive with rates for a single person from $30 - $40 monthly.  By the time the 6 month waiting period is over, you have paid for that "free" cleaning a few times. The upside is freedom of choice.  I have offered a DHMO since 2002 after trying (personally using) two Discount Plans and a DPPO.  The plan is available in California. At www.InsurancePlanning101.com  you can also find plans for other states. Most states only offer the DPPO or Discount Plans.