Dental insurance isn’t the most exciting subject in the world, but it can help you save a ton when it comes to taking care of your smile. However, dental insurance doesn’t work exactly like the medical insurance that you are used to. It can be challenging to navigate at first. Here are some tips to help you fully maximize your benefits and get the most out of your plan.
Attend Two Cleanings & Checkups Each Year
If you aren’t already seeing your dentist every six months for cleanings and checkups, you aren’t even close to fully maximizing your benefits. By attending these regular appointments, you can prevent the development of oral health issues. Your hygienist will thoroughly clean your teeth, and your dentist will take a look to ensure that you don’t have existing dental issues that need to be addressed. By catching small issues now, you may be able to avoid costly, more invasive procedures in the future. For instance, if your dentist treats a cavity with a filling, you might be able to avoid root canal therapy or extraction later on. Your dental health and overall health go hand-in-hand. By seeing your dentist for cleanings and checkups, you can prevent gum infections and overall health issues that will require additional time and money to treat.
Choose an In-Network Dentist
If you have a PPO plan, this gives you the ability to choose any dentist you’d like, even if they aren’t on your list of “in-network” dentists. By choosing an in-network dentist, however, you will likely benefit from increased coverage, therefore resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs.
Review Your Benefits
The end of the calendar year will be here before you know it, so now is a great time to look over your dental benefits again. By knowing exactly what is covered under your plan and when it will reset, you will be able to better maximize your coverage. For most insurance plans, the benefits reset at the end of the calendar year. This means that you will be responsible for paying your deductible again on January 1st. Any remaining benefits will not carry over to 2023.
Get the Dental Work You’ve Been Putting Off
If you’ve been putting off getting a new filling or replacing that dental crown that’s fallen out, now is the time to do so. By using this year’s benefits, you can avoid having to pay more thanks to your deductible that will be renewed in January. When you keep up with your smile, you will save yourself, discomfort, time, and a lot of money in the long run.
If you need help understanding how your plan works, talk to your dental team. This way, you can take all the steps you need to fully maximize your benefits!
About the Author
Dr. Brian Coats is an experienced dentist who has been working in the field for more than 25 years. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Creighton University School of Dentistry and is a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy. Currently, he is a member of the American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association, Boulder County Dental Association, and the Longmont Rotary Club. For more information on dental insurance or to schedule an appointment at his office in Longmont before the year ends, visit his website or call (303) 776-4090.