Dental & Vision Insurance for the First Year?

[flygirl555]

I'm due with twins in November.

Does it make sense to purchase dental insurance for the kiddos for the first year? What about vision insurance?

I'm thinking no & no, but maybe there's something I haven't thought about...

[AustenFan]

In general, we don't take our kiddos to the dentist until age 3 (then every 6 months thereafter). DD1 did just fall off her scooter and chipped a tooth, so we took her in for emergency dental care at 2.5. We had a family plan, but it mostly covers routine cleanings and only a portion of other things like building up a chipped tooth. I wouldn't get it for newborns.

[Katigre]

I would not bother with dental care in an infant. They don't have enough teeth to warrant it. I did start getting dental coverage on my kids once they were 1-2 years old in case they had issues that required major work, but we didn't start taking them for appointments until they were 2ish years old.

I'd also skip vision care for infants. It is very rare for a baby to need glasses. If poor eyesight runs in your family then I would get glasses starting at age 1-2 (that is when my friends' children needed their glasses and is the earliest I've seen kids with them).

[waitingforgrace]

I'd skip dental until age 2, maybe 3. They don't have many teeth at all that first year so nothing really for a dentist to even look at. I would however get vision for newborns because there is no way to know when/ if they'll need glasses and it could be before age 1.

ETA: unlike PP, I have known babies under age 1 who wear glasses and wore them myself starting at 4 months.

[YouAreTheFocus]

I agree with the PPs, no dental/vision for the first year. I would add dental sometime beween 1&2. At 22 mos my son had a fall and chipped 2 teeth, and had to go to the dentist. We hadn't planned to be bringing him yet, but are thankful he was covered.

For vision, you should be aware of this great program that offers FREE eye exams to children under 1 yr of age.

http://www.infantsee.org/

We brought our son right before he turned one, it was a good experience and they did a thorough assessment.

[flygirl555]

Thank you for the advice. How interesting that some children wear glasses before one year old - I had no idea!

[flygirl555]

Duplicate post...

[vludmilla]

I would definitely skip both for at least the first year.

[cono0507]

We skipped dental until they were at least 2.

For vision, both of my children ended up needing evaluation by an ophthalmologist (MD) within the first 6 months of life for some eye abnormalities but that is a medical visit, not vision plan, since it is a medical specialist. So we didn't and still don't have vision coverage on them.

[Melanie]

I'd skip the dentist, and if your medical covers some vision like an opthalmologist - which is a medical doctor specializing in the eyes and who you would see if infants have some vision problems, then I'd skip the vision. THOUGH I'm not sure if the actual glasses and frames would be covered that way.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Can you get it right before they turn 1? We have dental ins. and take our babies for their 1st birthday as recommended by the pediatric dentists our dental school is cranking out. Kids go in easier, and continue to go to the dentist easier if it is something they are used to doing.

Our pedo is now a very good friend of mine so I got a bonus out of taking ours early. My 2nd and 3rd DC are BFFS to her 2 DC. :)

[Gena]

Infants who need glasses usually are seen by a pediatric ophthamologist. These doctors often do not take vision insurance, but bill as medical specialists instead. Most issues at that age are considered medical diseases of the eye and are not covered by vision insurance, which generally just covers refractive errors.