Are discount dental plans better than dental insurance? In short, it depends on you or your family’s teeth and the amount of work you have done each year.When They Make SenseThe bottom line is, if you or your family have healthy teeth and a typical year for you involves two cleanings per person, you can save a lot of money by using a discount program and dropping your expensive dental insurance plan.When They Don’t Make SenseIf you or your family have multiple cavities filled each year, and major work done more than average, you will probably be better off on a dental insurance plan, even though it may be more costly each month.AffordabilityDiscount dental plans are very affordable. You can usually purchase a discount plan for the equivalent of one or two month’s (dental insurance) premiums. Imagine saving 10 dental premiums each year. For some individuals, that adds up to quite a bit of money. For families, it adds up to be a lot more.Dental ProtectionWith discount plans, you still have a good amount of protection. The dental companies have pre-negotiated discount on most dental services with networks of dentists. So, if you need dental work done, you can take advantage of discounts ranging between 10% and 60% for most services.If you need dental protection on occasion, but don’t need dental work on a regular basis, you may be able to save most of your insurance premiums by using a discount dental plan.