How to prepare for your healthcare

Suitability for dentists

Private medical insurance is a policy paid by an individual or their employer to provide access to and cover the cost of private healthcare. It helps to increase a person’s options when a troubling injury or ailment occurs.

Much like the difference between private and NHS dentistry, both systems can provide excellent treatments that restore your health. However, private options could better lend themselves to dentists and their needs when considering the current accessibility of care.

The COVID-19 pandemic placed an immense strain on the NHS, piling the backlog of patients waiting to receive treatment to an unprecedented 7.47 million people in May of this year – nearly 3.03 million patients were waiting over four months.[i] There still isn’t any respite in sight.

A vast majority of dentists are self-employed; an unforeseen health issue could derail a stable income. In this case, you’d want to receive the best care as soon as possible to return to your patients feeling your best. Private healthcare systems can often deliver this with reduced wait times and without the associated anxieties.

Is it right for you?

Before entering a private medical insurance policy, it’s important to find cover that suits your needs, medically and financially. Many policies will not cover treatments for pre-existing conditions, and whilst you cannot predict any turns for the worse in your health, you may want to cast the net wide for potential treatments.

Dentists have some common occupational health issues to consider, for example, repetitive strain injury (RSI),[ii] carpel-tunnel syndrome,[iii] and arthritis.[iv] With these in mind, you should be selective about the cover you choose, to prepare for any likely outcomes.

More comprehensive policies may provide access to a private GP, physiotherapy (helpful for arthritis and RSI) and treatment solutions that may not be available through the NHS. They will likely be the most expensive private medical insurance offerings, so carefully consider how valuable the expense is to you in comparison with your overall income before signing an agreement.

Budget policies may minimise expense in return for reduced cover – they could limit the treatments covered, require you to seek NHS treatment first, or cap any pay outs at pre-agreed limits. These options may be ideal if you’re looking to lower your expenses on monthly premiums, but you still want to access private care should you need it. If you’re currently healthy and considered at a low risk of needing extensive inpatient healthcare treatments, opting for a budget policy could save you money whilst also providing the failsafe of care if needed.

Making smart decisions

For older dentists, there are plans that specifically accommodate the needs of those over 60, or older. Basic cover may omit outpatient care from the package, as the need for medical care is likely to increase with age, but they could offer an affordable price in return, too. Paying the premium for outpatient care could prove to be a wise investment for those who are more likely to need routine physical examinations, tests and consultations for chronic conditions they have.

Your employer could be offering a medical insurance policy as part of your contract. You should find out more about the cover it provides, and if it’s not at a level you’d like, you could arrange to pay the difference for a more premium policy. This way, you could access more comprehensive healthcare cover at a discounted rate to you.

For many, the world of private medical insurance is a wholly new field to delve into. The benefits may suit you and your job role perfectly, but you could still be unsure where to look, and how it may affect your finances in the short- and long-term. Luckily, money4dentists offers a free consultation to provide advice and guidance about the private medical insurance that will best suit you, no matter what stage you have reached in your career. The team is built up of experienced, independent financial advisers who have worked exclusively with dentists for over 16 years, so they’ll understand the unique financial and occupational stipulations that come with being a dental professional.

By finding a private medical insurance policy that suits you, you can feel secure knowing that you have the best provisions set for any of life’s roadblocks. Should you encounter an illness or injury, you can be back on your feet to provide excellent care in no time.

For more information, please call 0845 345 5060 or 0754DENTIST.

Email info@money4dentists.com or visit www.money4dentists.com

[i] British Medical Association, (2023). NHS backlog data analysis, (Online) Available at: https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs-backlog-data-analysis [Accessed August 2023]

[ii] Santos, A. M., Flório, F. M., Paraguassu, É. C., & Gomes, J. P., (2019). Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms Related to Work in Dental Surgeons: A Wide Review of Current Medical Literature. International Journal for Innovation Education and Research

^[iii] Abichandani, S., Shaikh, S., & Nadiger, R. (2013). Carpal tunnel syndrome–an occupational hazard facing dentistry. International dental journal, 63(5), 230-236.

[iv] Moodley, R., Naidoo, S., & van Wyk, J. (2018). The prevalence of occupational health‐related problems in dentistry: A review of the literature. Journal of occupational health, 60(2), 111-125.