As the year winds to a close, it is necessary to begin considering how to optimize your dental benefit use. Many people don’t understand how much money they are actually losing when they fail to use their dental benefits by the end of the year. Understanding how dental insurance works can go a long way toward protecting your smile, while simultaneously minimizing your expenses. If you are ever concerned that you haven’t made the best use of your dental benefits, you should contact our professionals at Bismarck Advanced Dental Implants to ensure that you can obtain the services that you need with minimal disruption to your finances.
Issues with oral health don’t just stop with your smile. Many studies have shown that oral health is strongly linked to overall health. It can impact the health of the body and has also been demonstrated to have links to depression. Most of us care about the health of our teeth, but it is important to understand that oral health can even impact our general health. Caring for your teeth is an important component of remaining in good health.
Understand how Dental Insurance Works
Dental insurance is intended to help offset some of the expenses consistent with obtaining dental services. The majority of dental insurance plans are designed to cover 100% of preventative services. They generally only cover 80% and 50% of basic and major services respectively. Basic services commonly include things like dental fillings, while major services are often more advanced procedures. Dental insurance is not intended to aid with cosmetic treatments and will generally not help to pay for any portion of these services. Take the time to familiarize yourself with your specific plan to ensure that you understand what will or will not be covered by your insurance plan. Making the best use of your dental insurance will help to save you money while simultaneously optimizing the health of your teeth. Obtaining appropriate dental care doesn’t have to substantially disrupt your finances.
Use it or Lose It: Your Dental Benefits
Dental insurance certainly isn’t free, but their benefits won’t rollover at the end of the year. Essentially, you’ve already paid for the services that are covered under your dental plan. When you forego these treatments, you’re losing the money you spent on your dental insurance. The vast majority of dental insurance plans reset on the 1st day of the new year. It is important to consider what you have left on your dental insurance plan before the end of the year. For example, if you have already paid your deductible, but haven’t hit your yearly maximum, you might want to consider obtaining some dental services. After the year starts over, your yearly maximum will be reset and you will have to pay the deductible on your plan again. You should carefully plan for your dental services, as it is likely that you will be busy around the holidays.
Practice Prevention
Prevention is generally the best approach to take when it comes to the health of your teeth. When you don’t practice prevention, problems with the teeth can escalate to more expensive and painful issues. It is incredibly important to brush your teeth twice a day. Teeth should be brushed for at least two minutes to ensure that the process is done effectively. It is similarly important to floss on a daily basis. Visiting your dentist twice a year is another important component of an effective oral hygiene routine. Dental insurance most commonly covers two dental cleanings a year, so you should schedule an appointment immediately if you haven’t had your second cleaning yet.
Contact your Insurance Provider
It can be difficult to understand exactly what your insurance plan covers. It may also be difficult to keep track of what you have already used throughout the year. If you are ever unsure of what is left on your insurance plan, you should consult with your insurance provider. They will be able to tell you what you have used this year, what you have left on the plan this year, and what your plan covers. This can be an important step in allowing you to optimize your oral health care and maximize the use of your dental insurance. If you have any dental visits left with your insurance plan, you should ensure that you obtain them before the end of the year.
Save Money
Dental insurance helps to offset the expenses that are consistent with obtaining the dental health care services that you need. You have already paid for your dental insurance. If you don’t obtain the services that your insurance covers, you’re wasting your money. In addition, the preventative services covered by your insurance can help to keep your teeth in good condition, which will prevent more serious issues from occurring. The dental insurance is unlikely to cover 100% of dental services (aside from prevention) so keeping your teeth in great condition is the best way to help you save money. When you obtain all of the dental exams and cleanings that your insurance covers, your dentist will be able to catch any potential issues with your teeth in the early stages. This goes a long way toward minimizing the damage that your teeth can possibly sustain.
Contact Us Today
Dental insurance can be incredibly useful, but we understand that it may not be a viable option for everyone. We strongly believe that you shouldn’t be denied the dental care that you need due to financial strain. For this reason, we offer a variety of financing and payment options to ensure that you are able to obtain the services that you need to optimize the health of your smile. However, if you do have dental insurance, it is important to take all of the steps to maximize your benefits by the end of the year. If you are uncertain regarding how to best use your insurance plan, contact our experts for guidance today! To learn more about the services that we offer, contact us at Bismarck Advanced Dental Implants.