Insurance and Billing
Indemnity dental plan
An indemnity dental plan is a traditional plan with no network. You can pick any dentist, and the plan pays a percentage of the charges.
An indemnity dental plan, sometimes called traditional or fee-for-service insurance, is a non-network plan. It often has a deductible. After that, the plan pays a set percentage of charges for services performed. Payments can go to you or to the dentist.
Plans typically have no restrictions on which dentist you visit. Most plans cap what they will pay for each procedure using a usual, customary and reasonable (UCR) fee. If your dentist charges more, you may pay the difference.
Because payment can go to you, you may pay the office first and then be repaid after a claim. Compare this with a PPO, which adds a network, and a DHMO, which requires one. See the insurance and financing page.