5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Dental Insurance Benefits

Are you ready for the end of the year? While you’re likely planning family get togethers and buying gifts, don’t forget about your dental insurance coverage! Though it may not be the first thing on your mind right now, you could waste valuable benefits if you don’t pay attention in the last few months of the year. In fact, surveys report that every year Americans let thousands of dollars in dental insurance benefits go to waste! Don’t let that happen to you by using these five tips for making the most of your dental insurance by the end of the year.

1.) Take Advantage of Your Preventive Coverage

Have you gotten two dental checkups this year? While every insurance policy varies slightly, most cover preventive care, including two checkups and cleanings a year, at 90-100%. Not only are these quick and easy visits incredibly affordable, but they can go a tremendously long way in preventing expensive oral health problems in the future.

2.) Remember the 100-80-50 Rule

To maximize your insurance benefits, you need to know what they cover. Coverage varies wildly across insurance plans and companies, but many follow a similar structure:

• Preventive care, diagnostics, and screenings typically get 90-100% coverage.
• Basic treatments like dental fillings and bonding often get 60-80% coverage.
• Major restorations such as dental crowns and tooth extractions may only get 50% coverage or less.

3.) Use the Rest of Your Annual Maximum

Once you’ve met your deductible, the set amount that you need to pay for your own care, your insurance benefits will cover your treatments. They will pay for your dental care up until another set amount called your annual maximum. If you haven’t met that limit yet, now’s your chance to get any remaining dental work you need done! Your deductible will likely reset in January, and whatever you haven’t used of your annual maximum will expire.

4.) Don’t Postpone Your Treatments

If your dentist recommends a treatment like a filling, root canal, or crown, it’s best not to postpone your treatment any longer than necessary. Teeth can’t heal themselves, so choosing to delay care because it doesn’t seem like a big deal now will leave you open to developing more complicated and more expensive problems later. Remember, dental benefits tend to cover preventive and basic care much more than major treatments.

5.) Talk to Your Dentist About Your Concerns

Even with all this information, there is still so much to know about maximizing your dental insurance benefits. Thankfully, your dentist and their team have years of experience navigating the ins and outs of dental insurance details and can help explain what exactly your coverage entails and how to make the most of it.

About the Practice

At Longview Dental Center, we strive to make every aspect of your dental care pleasant, from walking into our office to paying for your personalized treatment. We are an insurance-friendly practice and are in-network with many of the leading providers. For our uninsured patients, we also offer flexible payment plans both in-house and through CareCredit. To learn more about how to make caring for your smile as affordable as possible, we can be reached online or at (903) 753-9758.