I’ve been on both sides of this equation. Until this year, I paid out of pocket, having been told by my parents that dental insurance was a rip-off. But then I did the math, and it was clear that at least in New York, this was not true. Dental insurance is awesome!

Before insurance, I had been getting cleanings with a combination of Groupon deals (around $99 for a cleaning) and this dentist in Queens who charges about the same for what can be charitably described as a no-frills practice. So two cleanings per year, $200. Meanwhile, my dental insurance is $20/month with a $50 deductible, so $290/year all-in, and it covers all cleanings, fillings, and so on up to $1,000. A little more expensive, but to me, a much, much better deal.

Because the thing is, that marginal $90 is extremely inexpensive for the maximum benefit you stand to receive. A single cavity filling can be $100 — $200, sometimes more. One cavity, and suddenly you wish you had that insurance.

Just as important: having dental insurance means I don’t need to be so price sensitive. I can pick a good dentist — say, one that was recommended by a trusted friend — and I can return to her time and again. The reason I got dental insurance was because I wasn’t convinced the Queens dentist actually did anything during my most recent visit. With a $1,000 maximum benefit, the difference between a $100 visit and a $250 visit doesn’t really matter, and even if I choose that $250/visit dentist, I can go twice per year and still only be out of pocket $290 — with a $500 balance remaining for cavities and the like. To me it’s a no-brainer.