5 Ways You Can Maximize Your Dental Insurance Benefits

Dental insurance is a helpful tool to help you receive the dental care you need in order to achieve optimal oral health. However, dental insurance can be difficult to navigate since it doesn’t work quite the same way as your health insurance plan. There is no better time than before the year ends to work towards making the most out of your insurance plan. This is because most plans renew at the beginning of the year. Continue reading to learn some helpful tips from your dentist so you can maximize dental insurance benefits.

Use Your Preventive Coverage

Having regular visits to your dentist every six months in order to have your teeth cleaned and examined is necessary in order to have optimal oral health. This way, you can also have minor issues treated early on before they become serious. For instance, if your dentist discovers that you have a cavity now, it can often be treated before becoming too serious so you can avoid the need for a root canal or extraction. Not only will this save you money, but it can also save you a lot of time and inconvenience. Mot dental insurance plans cover preventive care. This usually includes cleanings, exams, and routine x-rays. In the end, you will be left with little to no cost when getting these services done.

Prevent Overall Health Problems

Your overall health is closely related to your oral health. Often times, your dentist will know that there is something going on in your body before anyone else. In fact, dental visits can lead to the detection of more than 120 different health issues. People who are suffering from periodontal disease are also more likely to suffer from other health conditions like diabetes, respiratory issues, and heart disease. When you are taking advantage of your preventive visits, you can save time and money when is comes to other problems throughout your body.

See a Dentist Who Is In-Network

If you have a PPO insurance plan, you are able to choose any dental provider you like to get treatment from. However, by choosing a dentist who is in-network, you will likely be able to save more money. You may still get some coverage from out-of-network providers, but you will generally end up with more out-of-pocket costs.

Use Your Remaining Flexible Spending Dollars

If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) through your employer, it is best to use your remaining balance before the end of the year. Most of the time, dental expanses are eligible FSA healthcare expenses. FSAs will reduce your taxable income by putting more money aside for healthcare. When you are using these tax-free dollars to pay for your dental care needs, you will end up having more money in your wallet.

Review Your Benefits

Since the year will be coming to a close soon, it is a good time to review your dental benefits again. This way, you will know what is covered under your plan and when your benefits will renew. For most insurance plans, this happens at the end of the calendar year. On Jan 1, you will likely be responsible for paying your deductible again and your benefits for this year will not carry over to next year.

There is no better time than now to schedule an appointment to see your dentist if you haven’t been in the last six months. By utilizing your benefits, you will be able to best maximize your insurance coverage.

About the Author

Dr. Aaron Springhetti earned his dental doctorate from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. He is very involved with the Dawson Academy and has undergone its program in Advanced General Dentistry. His practice accepts a long list of popular dental insurance plans. For more information on maximizing your benefits or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Springhetti in Carmel, visit his website or call (317) 875-7645.