Most dental insurance plans renew every year on January 1st, which means your maximum, deductible, and coverage for checkups and cleanings resets. If you made the most out of your plan, then you’re probably waiting for the new year with excitement, but if you haven’t, you could be missing out on getting covered services that are necessary to keep your smile in tip-top shape. Read on to learn three ways you can maximize your dental insurance benefits before your plan renews to get the most out of your investment in coverage.
Schedule Your Checkups & Cleanings
Most dental insurance plans cover 100 percent of the cost of two checkups and cleanings a year, with the caveat that they should be spread six months apart. If you haven’t been keeping on-top of your bi-annual visits, now’s the time to schedule yours to make sure you don’t flush the money that you’re putting into dental insurance coverage down the toilet! These visits can help you maintain a healthy smile and avoid worsening oral health problems throughout the year.
Visit an In-Network Dentist
If you have a PPO dental insurance plan, sticking to visiting an in-network provider can help you save money. These dentists have signed contracts with your insurance company that provides you with discounted rates and fees, saving you from steep out-of-pocket costs that could make it harder to pay for treatments you need.
Invest in Preventive Dental Care to Save Money
Most dental insurance plans determine coverage based on a 100-80-50 structure, meaning they cover 100 percent of the cost of preventive care like checkups and cleanings, 80 percent of basic treatments like cavity fillings, and 50 percent of more serious procedures like root canals.
When you stay on-top of your oral health by visiting the dentist for your checkups and cleanings and taking care of small problems when they occur, like cavities, you’re able to have more of your services covered. However, when you wait to visit the dentist until you’re experiencing pain, there’s a higher chance that it’s due to a worsening oral health problem that requires a more invasive treatment that your dental insurance benefits won’t completely cover.
Dental insurance can be confusing to navigate and understand, but with the help of a trustworthy dentist and by understanding your coverage, you can get the most out of your monthly investment in insurance, all while being able to take care of your smile.
About the Practice
At Carlson Dental Group in Riverside, we have an experienced and friendly team of three dentists, Drs. Carlson, Le, and Murray. Each of them is dedicated to providing high-quality dentistry that’s accessible, which is why our practice is in-network with a majority of PPO dental insurance plans. In addition to accepting dental insurance, we also offer an in-house membership plan as well as additional financing through CareCredit to make affording the treatments you need possible and simpler. For questions or to schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 904-262-8449.