Difficult times come with desperate measures, especially in earning extra savings. If you are looking for the best ways to minimize your dental care costs, you might want to check your dental benefits plan issued by your company or extended to you by your family member. Unlike other insurance plans, dental insurance often goes unused until it expires by the end of the year.
What’s the rush in using dental benefits?
Many patients are unaware of the money they can save using their dental benefits plan as early as possible. Visiting your dentist in the first two quarters of the year helps you strategize your dental treatment and take advantage of the full benefits of your policy.
Some insurance policies don’t cover the consecutive use of a specific dental treatment or the frequency limitation. You are required to wait for another 3 to 6 months so you can use it again. At the same time, early detection of a dental condition can set you up for full coverage of preventive dental treatments like cleanings.
If you delay your dental appointment, your dental condition can worsen and end up with restoration work instead. Fillings, root canals, and other restorations are only at 50% to 80% coverage, and the rest of the bill is on copay.
Another reason to use your benefits ahead of time is the scheduling constraints at the end of the year. Dental practices often have congested schedules by the last quarter of the year since many patients try to beat the deadline or the expiration of their benefits.
Everything you need to know about your dental benefits
Though every insurance company offers a different benefits package, some policies are general and usually fall under the same pattern. These policies are as follows:
- Every dental insurance has an annual maximum. The annual maximum is the dollar amount limit that your dental benefits plan can cover. Its limit usually ranges from $750 to $1500.
- Coverage policies follow the 100-80-50 structure. Preventive care like dental cleanings is at 100% coverage, while simple restorations like dental fillings fall at 80%. Major restorative work like root canal therapy is at 50% coverage.
- Teeth whitening, veneers, and other cosmetic dental procedures are usually not part of the coverage. Some insurance companies also have a different definition for cosmetic treatment.
- Insurance companies have a deductible policy wherein you must reach a certain amount from your out-of-pocket costs before the coverage takes effect.
To know more about your insurance-specific policies, contact your insurance provider for more details. Also, you can discuss your plans of using your benefits with your dentist to set your expectations before receiving your dental treatments.
Let us help you save more on dental costs using your dental benefits
Not a lot of people are blessed with a chance to save on dental costs. If you’re lucky to have a dental benefits plan, we can help you maximize it by planning your treatment.
Soft Touch Dental provides comprehensive dental services in Florissant, MO, and St. Louis County. Our team will provide you with the best dental experience possible and help you strategize your treatment using your dental benefits for better savings.
We also have a financial partner who can help you pay for the treatments that your insurance doesn’t cover. You may schedule an appointment now so we can discuss how to use your dental insurance efficiently.