I want to have a composite filling instead of an amalgam one so I’m trying to find a holistic dentist on my list of insurance providers. They don’t seem to list them at all. Does that mean dental insurance won’t cover a holistic dentist? My dentist only does amalgam fillings and insists they’re safe.
Candace
Dear Candace,
Holistic Dentists always place mercury-free fillings
The reason you are not finding Holistic Dentists listed in your insurance booklet is not because they aren’t covered by insurance. Instead, it is because that isn’t a recognized specialty. Holistic dentistry is a philosophy of care. Therefore they are general dentists.
The difference between them and other general dentists is they typically consider your whole body in your treatment and not just your teeth. This is why they are also known as natural dentists or biological dentists.
To find one, you’ll have to go through the list of general dentists your insurance works with and call their office or look at their website to see if they have a holistic philosophy. Or, you could go about it the other way by doing an internet search for a holistic dentist and see which of them are in your network.
If You Can’t Find a Holistic Dentist
If you go through your entire network of dental providers and none of them consider themselves a holistic dentist, don’t despair. These days there are many dentists who place white composite fillings. You can simply do a search for a mercury-free dentist and I bet you’ll find a whole bunch of them. At least one of them will be in your network.
If you ever decide you want to remove old amalgam fillings and replace them with composites, just make sure whatever dentist you go to knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. This way you won’t be at risk of swallowing any bits or inhaling any mercury vapors.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.