Statistical research data  published in 2021 shows that oral health was the highest rated health priority among US adults. Despite this, the US has in the past had one of the highest percentages of the population that skips dental care due to the cost associated therewith. 

The United States

On average each consumer with dental insurance pays approximately $128.75 per month for dental coverage alone. Approximately 86% of dental insurance in the US is covered by private health insurers or out of pocket expenses as opposed to state benefits such as Medicare. While most private dental insurance plans in the US will cover routine procedures such as cleanings and fillings, not all cover orthodontics such as adult braces, Invisalign or home aligners. For those plans that do include orthodontic benefits, there may be limitations such as; the insurer only paying 50% of the cost of the orthodontics, only paying for orthodontics for patients under the age of 19 or a limit on the total amount that can be spent on orthodontics. Furthermore, a plan may cover certain orthodontics such as braces or Invisalign, but not others such as home aligners, also known as remote services. 

Where a plan does contain orthodontic benefits, this is a huge advantage as Invisalign can cost up to $8,000 and braces up to $6,000. Home aligners are not always covered by orthodontic benefits. However, certain insurance companies such as Aetna, Empire and Blue Cross Blue Shield have partnered with home aligner providers like Byte, Candid and SmileDirectClub in order to bring these providers in network. Byte actually goes the extra mile by assisting its customers to find dental insurance that does cover home aligners. 

You can read more here on how to choose a dental insurance provider in the US that covers clear aligner treatment. 

Israel

Israel’s National Health Insurance Law of 1994 makes it mandatory for all Israeli citizens to be insured by one of four health funds, thereby ensuring equal access to healthcare. These funds include insurance for dental treatments. According to the World Health Organization, the Israel government provides free or subsidised dental care to children and the elderly, which includes reconstructive dental care. However, 36% of all healthcare expenditure still comes from private payments or private health insurers.

Israel therefore seems to cover the majority of orthodontic treatment through state health insurance. This benefit however only applies to Isreali citizens. 

Europe

Dental Insurance Coverage and the costs of dental care differs between countries in Europe. For example,  older adults experience increased cost barriers to dental care in Italy, France and Sweden than those in Germany or the United Kingdom. France is currently implementing dental care reforms that will reduce out of pocket expenses for several dental care products and services, whereas Italy limits who is eligible under state funded dental care by excluding dental coverage for adults over a certain age. For this reason, while healthcare is predominantly publicly funded in Italy, dental care specifically is privately funded. 

The expense of dental care and coverage therefore ranges depending on the European country, however generally the expense of dental care does seem to fall on private citizens rather than the state. 

Where To Go From Here

Dental products such as orthodontics are not always covered by dental insurance and the cost can be too high to afford. One option consumers may choose is medical tourism. Which country consumers choose to travel to may be dependent on various factors, such as; the relevant country’s ability to provide the medical service, choice of country and choice of city. For example, a consumer may choose to travel to Israel for dental care due to the high quality of orthodontics available, or a consumer may choose countries in Eastern Europe such as the Ukraine over Israel because Eastern Europe offers more competitively priced orthodontics. Often medical tourism relates to elective procedures, including dental care. Most medical tourists are from developed nations such as the United States. 

Final Thoughts

Despite being an important aspect of healthcare, oral health is often not prioritized, even in developed countries. This may largely be due to the lack of adequate dental insurance available in these countries. That being said, an increasing number of insurance providers are covering orthodontic benefits such as braces or Invisalign. However these do not come cheap. For this reason, consumers often consider alternative ways to save by, for example, having orthodontic procedures done in a foriegn country through medical tourism. Meanwhile, improvements to dental care and dental coverage are being made globally and will benefit consumers needing orthodontic products.