If someone offered you $900, you’d probably take it, right? Well, if you have dental insurance and forget to schedule before the year ends, you might be passing up that same amount of money! In fact, the American Dental Association found that the average person has an annual benefit of $1,250, but only gets about $323 of dental work each year. Since dental insurance is a “use it or lose it” situation, that means missing out on over $900 in benefits. Not to mention that you aren’t getting the dental care you need to have healthy teeth and gums. Keep reading for tips on how to benefit from your plan and find out why preventive care is so important for reducing your dental care costs.
Tips To Take Advantage of Your Dental Insurance Benefits
- Look at your plan to make sure of when it begins and ends. Most plans begin January 1st and end December 31st, but some are on a fiscal calendar year.
- It’s also helpful to see how much your annual maximum is. This is the amount your insurance company will pay for your dental work each year and is usually $1,000-$3,000 per person. And remember, if you don’t use this money, you lose it as soon as your plan year expires.
- Preventive care like checkups and cleanings are usually covered at 100% and won’t cost you anything out of pocket. That’s why, at the very least, you should schedule these visits for everyone in the family.
- Try to schedule your checkup or other dental procedures as soon as possible. Schedules often fill up quickly, particularly towards the end of the year.
The Importance of Preventive Dental Care
Checkups and cleanings are not only essentially free, but they’re incredibly important for minimizing major dental problems. To begin with, any small problems will be found in their beginning stages when they’re much easier and less expensive to treat. This also helps you prevent emergency situations like severe toothaches. In addition, your existing dental work will be monitored and maintained, ultimately helping it last longer than it would otherwise.
In addition, regular professional cleanings are essential for preventing or managing gum disease. This common condition affects an estimated 65 million adults and is one of the main reasons for tooth loss. Not to mention that countless studies have shown it significantly increases your risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and pregnancy complications.
By scheduling preventive dental care several months before the year ends, you’ll maintain your smile and overall health at the same time. And you’ll save a lot of money by using your insurance benefits before they expire!
About the Author
Dr. Joseph Sandberg has been a dentist for 35 years and graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania. He sees dental insurance as a wonderful tool for making dentistry more affordable for his patients, which ultimately makes it easier to achieve good oral health. He and his staff are always available to answer any questions about dental insurance and can be reached via his website.