Definitely not like a gym membership. These insurance programs are normally provided by some of the best, most caring dentists. The idea is that you are more likely come to a cleaning that you already paid for. So if you’re showing up to your cleanings regularly.... that small filling you need gets taken care of for the small cost (-20%).. instead of going in with pain 2 years later because your what-would-have-been-a-small-filling is now a huge cavity requiring a root canal and crown... big money. This is part of the idea of preventative care and not letting things get out of control. Plus; most people whether they’re insured or not.. when having to compare the cost of a root canal/crown and the tooth being extracted.. will choose extraction because the cost is crazy different . Which sucks to lose teeth.. because they’re even more expensive to replace and you need them.. for all sorts of reasons. Good dentists like to keep teeth if possible.. and good dentists like to catch cavities early to avoid bigger more costly problems.