The statistics are alarming! Nearly 46-million people do not have any sort of dental coverage whatsoever. In addition to that, there are at least another 40-million people who don't carry enough dental insurance to offset the ever-increasing costs of keeping their teeth healthy.

With so much of today's talk focused on the ongoing health insurance crisis, little attention is paid to an equally frightening insurance crisis - a complete lack of or insufficient dental insurance.

Employees used to get decent dental coverage when they signed up for company-sponsored health insurance. But not any longer. Employees are paying more for less coverage and many more are losing health and dental benefits completely.

Employees who are eligible for health insurance benefits often find that dental coverage isn't even an option. And many of those who are offered supplemental dental insurance are shocked at the out-of-pocket costs. Many decline coverage because they can't afford these extra costs, putting their teeth and their health in jeopardy.

And it's not just employees who are bearing the brunt of this growing crisis.

But it doesn't have to be this way. Quality dental coverage is out there if you know where to look. And it's affordable too. If you don't have dental insurance or if the coverage you have is inadequate, you do have options. Depending on your needs, you can choose from a dental only plan, or a combined dental and medical plan, or even a dental plan that includes vision, prescription and chiropractic coverage.

Forget everything you know about traditional insurance products because what you're going to learn about next is different. A discount dental plan is just that - a dental plan that offers discounts on dental services. Many of these plans exist and coverage and rates vary depending on the plan. Each has its own network of providers, too.

When you use a discount dental plan its administrators don't make payments directly to providers so there aren't any lengthy forms to fill out. Instead, you make an appointment with a network dental provider, you get the work done, and then you pay the discounted rates for services rendered before leaving your appointment. That's it!

What's even better is having total control over your dental care. If you go to a provider and you're unhappy with the service just choose another provider from the network list. Need a provider closer to work? Just choose another from your list. You get the point.

Accreditation and licensing apply to dentists and to companies that sell dental insurance but they don't apply to companies selling discount dental plans.

There's no question you expect your dentist to be current with licensing and education requirements. Likewise if you're buying an insurance product, you want to know that the company selling those products meets all regulatory and accreditation requirements.

However a discount dental plan is different. Discount dental plans are products offered by a number of different companies. So what's important here is doing business with the right company. How do you know you've chosen the right company? You thoroughly research it before joining! It's not that hard.

The easiest way to start your research is by firing up your search engine. Type in the name of the company offering the plan you're interested in then see what the search results reveal. Read through any press releases, customer complaints, lawsuits, financial information and other newsworthy items you find. Continue reading until you're satisfied with your choice. If you're not satisfied, start the process over again and again until you are.

If you see a link to the company web site click on it and start poking around. Some things you want to check are the company's refund and cancellation policies and the accessibility to customer service. You'll want to know help is available should you ever need it. Finally look around the home page for information about memberships in organizations such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP).

Businesses must meet stringent requirements in order to maintain their memberships in the BBB. So being a member in good standing says a lot about the company. The BBB also tracks customer complaints and you'll want to check this area before leaving. An absence of complaints doesn't mean the company has never had any; it might simply mean that no customer has ever taken time to lodge a complaint.

Like the BBB, membership in the NADP includes a willingness to abide by certain requirements. Just remember that membership in this association is not a requirement for selling discount dental plans and shouldn't be used as the sole determining factor.

Once you know the location of the plan's company headquarters contact the local Chamber of Commerce to see what you can learn from that organization.

If you take time to check into all of the above, you greatly increase your chances of selecting not only the best discount dental plan, but the best company offering the plan.

If you're one of the 46-million individuals without dental insurance or one of the 40-million with inadequate dental insurance, it's time to stop being a statistic!

Enroll in a discount dental plan today and start giving your teeth the attention they deserve as soon as tomorrow. With a discount dental plan there's no waiting period, no pre-existing condition clause, no age limit and no limits on the number of times you visit your dentist.

If you need more than preventative care - like seeing a specialist or getting braces - that's not a problem either. Simply find a discount dental plan that includes these services, join, and start making appointments. It really is that easy!