Since dental insurance requires you to pay a monthly premium, you’ll naturally want to make sure that you’re getting your money’s worth out of your plan. However, it’s not always obvious what the best method for maximizing your benefits is. To help you come up with a strategy that lets you get the care your smile needs while also helping you save as much money as possible, your dentist is here with 3 helpful tips for using your dental insurance to the fullest.
1. Make Sure You Completely Understand Your Plan
Before you can worry about taking full advantage of your dental insurance benefits, you need to make sure that you completely understand them first. Take the time to read your plan carefully from start to finish. You should take note of what kinds of services are covered and which aren’t. Additionally, it’s a good idea to take note of the annual maximum. This is the limit on what your dental insurance provider is willing to spend on your dental care during a given 12-month period.
Sometimes you might be unclear on some of the details of your plan. Remember that you can always contact your insurance company if you have any questions. The important thing is to become as familiar with your benefits as possible before you seek any sort of dental treatment.
2. Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year for Checkups and Cleanings
Even if you don’t have any oral health problems that need to be treated, you can still put your dental insurance to good use by keeping up with your regular dental appointments. Dental insurance tends to provide more coverage for preventive care than restorative care; in fact, some plans will fully cover the cost of a checkup and cleaning.
Visiting your dentist every six months improves your chances of having minor dental issues caught long before they can turn into urgent problems. This could ultimately save you money in the long run since you’ll be less likely to need more complex dental procedures.
3. Use Your Benefits Before They Reset
Your dental insurance plan will reset after 12 months, meaning you will effectively lose any benefits that you haven’t used by that point. If you haven’t reached your annual maximum yet, then you shouldn’t waste any time in getting the care that you need. The team at your dental practice can give you advice for scheduling any necessary procedures so that you can utilize your benefits before they’re gone.
Dental insurance is a useful tool for making dental care more affordable – but only if you use it properly. Start coming up with a plan today for using your hard-earned benefits to the fullest extent possible.
About the Author
Dr. Jenny Hong completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at Temple University. She has been named a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, and she has completed over 100 hours of continuing education through the KOIS Center and other institutes. Her practice, Timeless Smiles Morgan Hill, is in-network with Delta Dental, Aetna, and many other popular dental insurance providers. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Hong, visit her website or call (408) 763-3008.