Delta Dental of Arkansas
Your dental plan can help keep you and your smile healthy - but only if you use it. Not sure where to start? Check out these tips!
How does dental insurance work?
Dental insurance helps pay for your care by a dentist, including cleanings, exams, X-rays, fillings, etc. After your visit, your dentist’s office files a claim with Delta Dental for covered services. Your dental insurance pays for all or part of your claim, and you may have to pay a portion of the cost.
Know your benefits.
View your benefits using our online toolkit or mobile app. Knowing what’s covered beforehand helps eliminate surprises at the dentist’s office. On most plans, preventive services, like cleanings and exams, are covered at little or no cost to you, and a portion of basic and major procedures, like fillings, crowns and dentures, are covered.
Make an appointment.
Use the Find a Doctor tool on our website or mobile app to locate a dentist near you who is part of the Delta Dental PPO network. Make sure to search within the PPO network, which is covered by the Walmart dental plan. Then, schedule an appointment online*
or by calling the office. Make sure to bring your Delta Dental card to the appointment!
*Available for some dentists.
Know the costs.
The cost of your dental appointment depends on the type of service you receive and the benefits provided by your dental plan. Delta Dental will send you an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) in the mail which shows the amount you owe the dentist’s office and why.
| TIP: Choose a dentist in Delta Dental’s PPO network to get the lowest costs. Dentists in your plan’s network have agreed to see patients at a discounted rate. |
Why are dental cleanings and exams so important?
Visiting your dentist regularly is an essential part of your oral health routine. Not only does it keep your smile sparkling, but it also helps spot dental issues early before they progress into more costly problems.
What happens during a cleaning and exam?
During a routine cleaning, your dentist or hygienist uses a modified mirror to find unwanted residue and a metal instrument called a scaler to remove plaque and tartar. The scaler has a blade-like tip that allows them to scrape above and below your gum
line as well as in between your teeth. They might also use a vibrating device called an ultrasonic scaler to shake plaque and tartar free. They can then wash away these bacteria with water. When they have sufficiently removed all plaque and tartar,
they polish your teeth with an electric brush and polishing paste. The last step is a thorough flossing to make sure there’s nothing hiding between your teeth.
The dentist then examines your mouth, checking teeth for any signs of decay or damage, as well as gum and mouth tissue for any irregularities. If any problems are seen, they can be treated early, which hopefully makes them less costly and less painful than if they had gone undetected.
If I already brush and floss, do I still need to have my teeth cleaned?
Brushing and flossing are the best ways to take care of your oral health at home, removing food particles from teeth and gums daily. But even the best brushers have a hard time removing every speck of sugar, and that’s where a professional
cleaning becomes important. Any food that does get left behind causes plaque to build up and, eventually, tartar.
Plaque is a colorless film of bacteria that sticks to teeth. These bacteria create acids that decay teeth and irritate gums. Luckily, plaque can be removed with daily brushing and flossing. But when plaque stays on your teeth for too long, it hardens or calcifies along your gum line and forms tartar. Once this happens, regular brushing is not sufficient for removal, and that’s bad news for your gums. By pushing your gums away from your teeth, tartar creates pockets that allow bacteria to grow. If tartar isn’t removed with regular professional cleanings, it can cause gum disease, also known as periodontitis, and can even lead to tooth loss.
How much does it cost?
Under your Delta Dental plan, cleanings and exams are a covered benefit, meaning you and any covered dependents receive two per year at little to no cost. Call
us at 800-462-5410 to learn more about your coverage or for help finding an in-network dentist.