5 Ways to Maximize Your Dental Insurance Benefits

If you use your dental insurance correctly, it can save you a substantial amount of money and time while keeping your smile healthy and strong. However, studies suggest that Americans let thousands of dollars’ worth of dental benefits go to waste every year. Thankfully, keeping a few practical tips in mind can help you make the most of your dental insurance. Read on as your Midland dentist shares five practical ways to maximize your dental benefits.

1.) Know What Your Insurance Policy Covers

The first step towards maximizing your insurance benefits is to understand what your policy covers. Most plans follow a general 100-80-50 rule of coverage, where they will pay for:

• 90-100% of preventive care costs, like checkups, cleanings, X-rays, and screenings.
• 70-80% of basic treatments, including gum disease therapy and fillings.
• 40-50% of major procedure expenses, such as dental crowns and root canal therapy.

2.) Take Full Advantage of Your Checkups

Nearly every dental insurance plan includes two dental checkups and cleanings every year. While many people are tempted to skip these simple appointments if they don’t think anything is wrong with their oral health, checkups can save you a lot of money even if your teeth look and feel fine. Checkups and cleanings give your dentist a chance to spot and stop issues as early as possible, before they become larger problems that cost more to treat.

3.) Don’t Let Your Annual Maximum Go to Waste

If your dentist recommends you get a treatment, you shouldn’t put it off any longer than you have to in order to keep the issue from getting worse. This is especially important towards the end of the year, when most dental insurance policies renew. In most cases, when your policy renews in January, whatever you have left of your annual maximum will expire and your deductible will be reset. If you’ve met your deductible but not your annual maximum and still need to have dental work completed, make sure to schedule your treatment before your benefits go to waste.

4.) Plan for Next Year’s Deductible

If you need extensive treatment at the end of the year, talk to your dentist about scheduling your treatment in a way that maximizes your dental insurance. In cases where you’re close to meeting your annual maximum, your dentist may suggest splitting your treatment up into this year and next. The first part of your dental work will go towards meeting your annual maximum, while the next part can be scheduled the following year so the costs are applied towards that year’s deductible.

5.) Talk to Your Dentist About Maximizing Your Coverage

There are numerous different types of dental insurance plans, all with their own unique terms, conditions, exclusions, and rules. To ensure you’re making the most of your specific plans while addressing your unique oral healthcare needs, feel free to talk to your dentist. They have plenty of experience understanding dental insurance policy details and helping patients maximize their benefits. They can walk you through what your policy covers and help you create a plan to make the most of your coverage.

Dental insurance can save you a lot of money if you use it properly! If you have more questions about how dental insurance works or would like to learn more about other payment options, don’t hesitate to give your dentist a call.

About the Author

Dr. Laura Philipps has over two decades of experience helping the smiles of Midland and the surrounding communities stay happy and healthy for life. She firmly believes that optimal oral health should be an achievable goal for everyone, which is why she and her team will be happy to file your insurance claims on your behalf to help you save money on your dental care. In addition, she offers third-party financing options through CareCredit for patients without insurance or who aren’t pleased with their coverage. To learn more about maximizing your benefits, she can be contacted via her website or at (432) 570-4433.