What's the difference between Dental Ins and Dental Discount?

I do not have a job and need work on my teeth. My father is trying to get single dental ins for me but he can't find ins only dental discount plans. When we start out they say insurance plan, then when we call to order they say well this is just a dental discount plan. What's the difference?
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Insurance allows you to see a dentist who charges, for example, $1000.00 for the crown. You pay $500 and the insurance pays $500. The dentist is paid his full fee. With a discount plan, the "insurance" company pays $0.0 and you pay $500.00. But now the dentist only makes $500.00. Do you think that the dentist that accepts $500.00 as full payment does the same type of quality dentistry as the dentist that accepts $500.00? You can't get something for nothing. Only the government thinks that way.
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