The short answer
If you have dental insurance through work, keep it: we are out of network with every PPO, we file the claim for you, and your plan often pays close to the same rate as an in-network office for covered services. If you have no dental benefits, our in-house D is for Dental membership is usually the simpler choice, with no waiting period, no deductible, no annual maximum, and 20% off restorative & major work, whitening included.
You cannot use both at the same time. Which one fits depends on whether you already have benefits and what care you expect to need this year.
Side by side
| Dental insurance (PPO) | D is for Dental membership | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you pay | Premiums to the insurance company, then your share of each visit | One annual or monthly fee, paid to us |
| Waiting period | Many individual plans make you wait before covering major work | None. Benefits start the day you enroll |
| Yearly limit | An annual maximum caps what the plan pays each year | No annual maximum |
| Deductible | Usually, before the plan pays for fillings and crowns | None |
| Paperwork | Claims, which we file for you | None |
| Cleanings, exams, X-rays | Usually covered, subject to your plan | Included: three cleanings a year, an exam at each, annual bitewing X-rays |
| Fillings, crowns, implants | Your plan pays a share and you pay the rest | 20% off restorative & major work, whitening included |
| Orthodontics | Some plans include it | Not discounted |
| Where it works | Any dentist, in or out of network | D Street Dental Group only |
Membership prices are on the membership pages.
If you have insurance through work
Keep your insurance. In my experience, the first question people with a PPO ask is whether out of network will cost them more.
You bring your plan details. We show you what your plan pays and give you an itemized estimate before any treatment. We file the claim, and your plan often pays close to the same rate as an in-network office for covered services.
HMO plans are the exception. They often include little or no out-of-network coverage, so if your plan is an HMO, call us first and we will help you check.
If you have no dental benefits
This is who we built the membership for: people who are self-employed, between jobs, retired, or working somewhere that does not offer dental.
An individual dental insurance plan can still make sense, and it is worth knowing what you are buying. Many individual plans have a waiting period before they cover crowns or other major work, an annual maximum that caps what they pay, and rules about teeth that were already missing when you joined. Read those three parts of any plan before you sign.
The membership works differently. You pay us directly, so there is nothing to wait for and no cap to run into. Your cleanings, exams, and X-rays for the year are included. Beyond that, members get 20% off restorative & major work, whitening included.
It has real limits too:
- It only works at our office. If you see a specialist or move away, the membership does not go with you, and an insurance plan would.
- It does not discount orthodontics, clear aligners, or cosmetic-only work like veneers.
- Unused cleanings do not roll over to the next year.
On Medicare? Original Medicare does not cover routine dental care, and our senior plan is built for that gap.
Why I run it this way
In my experience, insurance networks push offices toward shorter visits and more of them, because the network sets the fee a dentist is paid for each procedure. Staying out of network lets me give each patient the time the work deserves.
The membership is how that stays affordable for people without benefits. Your fee goes to the office instead of an insurance company, so it comes back to you as a lower fee.
How to decide
- Check for benefits through work If you have them, use them. We file the claim and give you an estimate first.
- Check whether your plan is an HMO If it is, call us before your visit so we can look at your out-of-network coverage together.
- No benefits? Look at this year If you expect cleanings plus a filling or a crown, the membership is usually the simpler path. If you expect orthodontics, or you want coverage at more than one office, compare an individual insurance plan.
Common questions
Is a dental membership plan the same as dental insurance?
No. A dental membership is an in-house plan you pay the dental office for directly, with no claims, deductibles, waiting periods, or annual maximum. Insurance is a policy from an insurance company that pays part of your care at any dentist. The D is for Dental membership at D Street Dental Group in San Rafael covers care at our office only and is not insurance. Dr. Steve Truman, DDS, built it for patients without dental benefits.
Can I use a dental membership and my dental insurance together?
Not at D Street Dental Group. If you have dental insurance, we bill your plan as an out-of-network office and you use your out-of-network benefits. The membership is for patients without dental benefits, and the two cannot run at the same time.
Does D Street Dental Group take my PPO insurance?
Yes, as an out-of-network office. D Street Dental Group is out of network with every dental PPO and files the claim for you, and your plan often pays close to the same rate as an in-network office for covered services. HMO plans often include little or no out-of-network coverage, so call (415) 453-0744 first if you have an HMO.
Is there a waiting period on the D is for Dental membership?
No. Benefits start the day you enroll and run for 12 months. Many individual dental insurance plans make you wait before they cover major work like crowns, which is a major difference between the two.
Is a dental membership worth it if I only need cleanings?
Often, yes. The D is for Dental membership includes your cleanings, exams, and X-rays for the year, so if you would otherwise pay for those visits one at a time, the plan usually costs less over a year. Dr. Steve Truman, DDS, and the D Street Dental Group team will walk through the math with your own numbers before you enroll.
Not sure which one fits?
Send us your plan details or give us a call. We will tell you which one makes sense for you.