Your Most Frequently Asked Dental Plan Questions
Click on any question to get the answer
- What is a Dental C.M.O.?
- Is Savon Dental Plan® an Insurance Company?
- Why should I choose Savon Dental Plan® over any other dental plan?
- What is the difference between a dental plan and dental insurance?
- What is the difference between Network Preferred and Network Providers?
- What States have Network Preferred Providers?
- How do I choose a Provider?
- How do I know that your list of providers is current?
- Why does the price of Savon Dental Plan® sound too good to be true?
- How do you determine the fees on your fee schedule?
- Can I use Savon Dental Plan® with my current dental Insurance?
- Do Savon Dental Plan®'s benefits include pre-existing conditions?
- How soon after joining am I able to use the plan?
- Am I able to use two(2) discount dental plans together and get greater savings?
- Does Savon Dental Plan® include orthodontic (braces) benefits?
- Does Savon Dental Plan® include benefits for Cosmetic Dentistry?
- When joining Savon on line, how do I know that my information is secure?
- Can I join Savon Dental Plan® any other way than the internet?
- How old do I have to be in order to join Savon Dental Plan®?
- If I am unhappy with Savon, how much time do I have to cancel my membership?
- How do I contact Savon Dental Plan®?
What is a Dental C.M.O.?
A dental C.M.O. (Cost Maintained Organization) is a new concept in the industry. Developed by Savon Dental Plan® in 2005, this type of organization works to achieve savings in two areas:
- In the first area we work to save our members money each time they visit the dentist (much like other quality dental plans).
- In the second area we work just as hard to save our providers money by reducing the amount of paperwork that the office is required to do and offering such services as low cost printing, and the ability to purchase non-perishable items such as cotton rolls, needles, etc.
The biggest advantage to a Dental C.M.O. is that by saving the dental office money, we are able to better control dental fees and achieve better retention of our providers, i.e.: Cost Maintained Organization.
Is Savon Dental Plan® an Insurance Company?
NO! Savon is not an Insurance product.
Savon Dental Plan® is a membership organization. When you become a member of Savon it is like joining COSTCO.® You pay a membership fee to us and in return we guarantee you certain services for free and all other servicesare reduced by at least 50% (according to our Schedule of Fees and Benefits).
Why should I choose Savon Dental Plan® over any other dental plan?
Since 1992, Savon Dental Plan® has been a leader in the "reduced fee" industry. We have seen many plans start up and then fail, leaving hundreds of people in the cold as far as any type of dental plan. When this happens the members wind up losing a lot of money and the legitimate plans like Savon wind up with a "black eye". In the end, the consumer (you) becomes very leery of every dental plan. Savon Dental Plan®has been a member of the BBB® since 1992. We have never had a complaint filed against us that has not been resolved immediately. We back up our product with 4 distinct guarantees:
- A 30 day money back guarantee-- If you visit the dentist and find that you do not realize the savings that we promise, Savon Dental Plan® will refund your membership fee.
- A "We Pay The Difference Guaranteed Fee Schedule"-- If you visit a Network Preferred Provider and you are charged more than the fee allowed on the fee schedule for your zone, send or fax a copy of your paid receipt to Savon Dental Plan® and we will get the overcharge refunded or credited to your account or Savon will refund you the difference between the scheduled fee and the fee that you were charged.
- The only Lifetime Membership Rate Guarantee in the industry-- Savon Dental Plan® guarantees that your membership fee will not increase as long as you remain a member of the plan and do not let your membership lapse.
- Guaranteed Lowest "Facility" fee-- In the rare event that a Network Preferred Provider's Usual and Customary Fee is lower than the fee listed on the Schedule of Fees and Benefits for that state, our Network Preferred Provider will charge you the lower of the two prices.
When choosing any dental plan it is very important to do your homework. Nothing we tell you can replace the value of a well informed buyer. We
STRONGLY suggest that you check with the
Better Business Bureau in your area before joining any plan. Some States already require that our companies be registered with the State before doing business (i.e.: Florida and Nevada) and other States are joining that list. Savon Dental Plan® endorses this type of regulation and we hope that it helps eliminate these "scam plans" Nationwide.
Why does the price of Savon Dental Plan® sound too good to be true?
Everyone has heard the following phrases: "Buyer Beware" ,and, "If It Sounds To Good To Be True, IT IS".
In most cases WE Agree. Savon may seem too good to be true, but this is not the case. In realty the cost of operating a membership plan is very low. Since we do not pay the dental offices anything, the only cost involved is administrating the plan. Since 1992 Savon Dental Plan® has developed a very effective way to keep the cost of administrating our plan in check, enabling us to keep our fees low and pass the savings to our members.
What is the difference between a dental plan and dental insurance?
Most people are under the misconception that insurance is always better than a reduced fee plan.
The truth of the matter is insurance will ALWAYS be more expensive because they have to pay claims.
Insurance companies are one of biggest legitimate "money making" businesses in America today. They are in business to make a profit so if they have too many claims to pay, they will either raise premiums and/or lower benefits.
The following is a list of the most significant differences between dental insurance and Savon Dental Plan®
- Your premiums for dental insurance are always considerably more expensive than the cost of membership into Savon Dental Plan®.
- Insurance companies place a "maximum yearly benefit" on all of their plans. Your maximum yearly benefit is usually between $750.00 and $1500.00 per person per year (the higher the maximum benefit, the higher the premium you pay).
Savon Dental Plan® does not have any maximum yearly benefit limit at all. Our goal is to encourage you to use Savon as often as you wish and we want to create a partnership between you, your dentist and Savon to help you achieve complete dental health.
- The maximum yearly benefit with most insurance companies has not kept up with the rate of inflation.
An article by Dr. Jerry Gordon on howstuffworks.com, titled "Digesting the alphabet soup of dental insurance," notes:
Many insurance companies have a yearly maximum
between $750.00 and $1500.00. Dental insurance is not cumulative, so if you don't use it, you lose it. It is interesting to note that when dental insurance
companies became common in the early 1970's, the yearly maximum was the same ($750.00 to $1500.00) as it is today, even though the cost of delivering dental
care has nearly tripled since then.
- Since Savon Dental Plan® has no maximum yearly limits, you always receive the best fee available in your area.
- Most insurance companies cover basic care (office visits and cleanings) right away, however you are usually required to wait:
6 months for coverage on restorative care (x-rays, fillings, extractions).
Up to 18 months for coverage on major care (crowns, bridges, root canals and dentures and then the coverage is usually only 50 to 60%).
Some of the insurance plans do not even cover dentures or braces and almost all insurance companies do not offer coverage for Cosmetic Dentistry.
By the time you have paid for your dental insurance for 18 months you could have paid for a crown or denture and had it done right away.
On the other hand Savon Dental Plan® offers you the ability to realize savings in every aspect of your dental care as soon as you become a member.
In short, even if you need ONLY preventative dental care, in almost every case, Savon Dental Plan® will save you more in 1 visit to the dentist (and that includes our low membership fee) than the cost purchasing dental insurance for just 1 year.
Can I use Savon Dental Plan® with my current dental Insurance?
The answer in most cases is YES!
The main key to determining if you have true dental insurance is, can you go to any dentist that you want to or do you have a list of dentists to select from. If you have dental insurance it will usually work very well with Savon.
- Make your dental appointment with a Savon provider (selected from our extensive list).
- Tell them you are on Savon when you make your appointment.
- At the end of your appointment, pay the dentist in accordance with the Savon fee schedule.
- Make sure that you obtain an itemized paid bill from the dental office.
- Submit that bill to your dental insurance company for reimbursement.
Most insurance companies reimburse "out of pocket" expenses very quickly.
By using Savon with your current dental insurance you are actually doubling the maximum yearly benefit that your insurance company allows because Savon is controlling the amount that you pay at each visit to the dentist.
Do Savon Dental Plan®'s benefits include pre-existing conditions?
In almost all cases the answer is YES! All pre-existing conditions are covered.
The only exception would be "work in progress." Work in progress is considered work that has already been started (i.e.: root canals, fillings etc.). Once the work that is in progress is finished (i.e.: root canal), the final restoration (crown, bridge, etc.) would be completed at the Savon Dental Plan® fee.
If you have a family member that is involved with orthodontic treatment (braces), call our Customer Care Center at 1-800-809-3494. Again, in most cases we are able to help you realize a savings on the remaining treatment.
How soon after joining am I able to use the plan?
You may start using your plan as soon as you join. If you join from the internet the last screen you will see is your temporary identification card. Print this card and show it to the dental center at your first appointment.
If you need an appointment immediately, contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-809-3494 and our friendly staff will assist you in making an appointment.
Your membership welcome kit including your permanent identification cards will arrive within 10 days by U.S. Mail.
Am I able to use two(2) discount dental plans together and get greater savings?
Unfortunately the answer is no.
Since our plan is a reduced fee membership plan it would be cost prohibitive for any provider to accept two plans for the same person in the same office at the same time.
With this in mind, Savon Dental Plan® works very hard to make sure that there is a benefit available for every procedure that you need done.
What States have Network Preferred Providers?
We have a very strong base of Network Preferred Providers in the following States:
Arizona - California - Florida - Georgia - Maryland - New Jersey
Nevada - New York - Ohio - Oregon - Texas - Utah - Washington
Although there are other States that we have Network Preferred Providers, we have not listed them because we do not feel that we currently have enough of them to be able to provide that quality of savings and care that our members deserve.
We are in a continual process of recruiting and credentialing dental facilities nationwide, however this is a slow process. We have very strict
Credentialing Requirements that require us to
focus on the quality of a dental facility instead of the quantity of dental facilities.
Our
Provider List will help you locate providers in your area. At the top of your search page (right above the actual listing of the Dentists) you will be given a count of Network Preferred Providers in your State. In States that we do not have Network Preferred Providers, you will be given a count of all the Network Providers that are available to serve you.
How do I choose a Provider?
Choosing a provider with Savon is very simple. Visit our list of providers and select your State and the closest City to you. If a City is displayed, we have a a provider in that City. Above every office name is a Facility Identification Number (FIN). If you are joining on the internet, simply click on the F.I.N. and your choice will be automatically added to your application.
You may also contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-809-3494 and request a list of providers in your area.
How do I know that your list of providers is current?
In an effort to keep our list as current as possible, Savon Dental Plan® updates the list of providers on a weekly basis. Although we cannot guarantee that every dentist on our list is currently participating or accepting new patients we do everything possible to make sure that our list is very accurate.
What is the difference between Network Preferred and Network Providers?
- NETWORK PREFERRED PROVIDER: This is a Savon dentist that abides by our set fee schedule. With a network preferred provider you and your provider both have a fee schedule that lists exactly what you pay for each procedure.
If a procedures is not listed on the fee schedule, you will receive a 50% discount off the dentist's usual and customary fees (minus lab fees). This discount is not up to 50% off, it is 50% off usual and customary fees.
When you are looking at our provider list, a Network Preferred Provider is identified by the "GU or GR" immediately before their Facility Identification Number (i.e.: GU5343AZ)
- NETWORK PROVIDER: This type of provider is a member of Savon's extended base providers. These providers give a percentage discount. Within the network provider service areas you are entitled to receive 20% to 50% off of the dentist's usual and customary fees.
Since network providers offer a discount from their own usual fee, the fee at every dental office will be different.
We suggest that you use network providers ONLY if there are no network preferred providers in your area.
When you are looking at our provider List, a Network Provider is identified by the "CG" immediately before their Facility Identification Number (i.e.: CG5343MA).
When you are calling a network provider to check appointment availability tell them you are on the Uni-Care 100 plan.
How do you determine the fees on your fee schedule?
We are one of only a small handful of plans that has an "in house" fee control committee. This committee works within a very specific set of guidelines to monitor, advise and adjust our fee schedules as geographical economic trends dictate.
We have sectioned the 50 States into 8 zones. The States are placed into a zone depending on their ranking with the National Dental Advisory Survey®.
Using the NDAS survey, a survey of our dentists and a survey of an equal number of dentists in each state that do not participate in Savon, we establish the average usual and customary fee for that zone.
Once the average fee is calculated, it is reduced by 50% and the dentists in each zone are given a fee schedule showing what the Savon fees are.
All network preferred providers are under written contract with Savon Dental Plan® to abide at all times by the fee schedule for their state.
Does Savon Dental Plan® include Orthodontic (braces) benefits?
Yes! We do offer benefits for Orthodontics (braces).
We have some Network Preferred Providers (General Dentists) and many Specialists that offer orthodontic services.
Before you visit a Specialist (Orthodontist), please call our Customer Care Center at 800-809-3494 and check to see if the Orthodontist is a Preferred Orthodontic Specialist.
If the Orthodontist is a Preferred Specialist, you will be charged according to the fee schedule for your zone.
If the Orthodontist is a Participating Specialist, you will receive a 25% discount for your treatment.
Please make sure that you check with Savon before starting any treatment.
Does Savon Dental Plan® include benefits for Cosmetic Dentistry?
We offer benefits for all phases of dentistry including cosmetic dentistry.
- These benefits include, but are not limited to;
- Whitening
- Bleaching
- Veneers
- Bonding
Some of these services may require a Specialist, so check with your general Dentist before starting any of these procedures.
When I am joining Savon on line, how do I know that my information is secure?
We are very aware and concerned with the on-going threat of identity theft and we are committed to the protection of our member's identity.
To ensure that we have taken every precaution to keep your personal information secure, any information that you entrust us with through our website is transferred directly from our secure server to our internal server.
This site and all transfers of your personal information collected here are protected by 128-bit encryption, the same level of security the US Federal Government uses.
Can I join Savon Dental Plan® any other way than the internet?
You may join by mail, in person or by phone.
You may contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-809-3494 and we will send you a complete enrollment kit.
If you are ready to join and you are not comfortable giving information over the internet, our Customer Care Representatives are able to accept your application over the phone.
We are contracting with agents nationwide so if you desire a "face to face" meeting with a representative, contact our Customer Care Center at 1-800-809-3494 and we will direct you to an agent in your area. (This service is limited to geographical area where contracted agents are available).
For your convenience we can accept Master Card®, Visa® and your personal or business check over the phone.
How old do I have to be in order to join Savon Dental Plan®?
Since you are entering into a membership agreement, you must be at least 18 years of age to join Savon.
If you need to purchase the plan to cover a minor, simply let us know that the plan is for the minor only. All materials will be sent to the adult with the membership being for the minor.
If I am unhappy with Savon, how much time do I have to cancel my membership?
All applications carry a 30 day risk free money back guarantee from the day the application is submitted.
If you visit a Network Preferred Provider and find that you do not realize the savings that we promise according to the Fee Schedule for your State, Savon Dental Plan® will refund your membership fee.
Please Note: If you are unhappy with the Network Preferred Provider that you have chosen, or you disagree with the treatment plan that has been presented to you, you may select another provider or contact our Customer Care Center for assistance in obtaining a second opinion. Dissatisfaction with the provider is not a consideration under this guarantee. To request a refund under this guarantee, send us a copy of your treatment plan and/or paid itemized statement.
Our provider relations will review the fees and if the fees are in excess of the fee schedule, a credit for the difference will be issued by the Network Preferred Provider or a refund of your membership dues will be issued by Savon.
How do I contact Savon Dental Plan®?
You may contact us in any of the following ways:
Telephone
Arizona 602-841-3494
Nationwide 1-800-809-3494
Fax 602-589-0417 available 24 hours a day
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm MST
Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm MsT
Mailing Address
Savon Dental Plan
P.O. Box 6055
Glendale, Arizona 85312
Physical Address
Savon Professional Services Inc.
Savon Dental Plan
3101 West Peoria Avenue
Suite A-211
Phoenix, Arizona 85029
Email:
Customer Service
