Dental insurance is an excellent investment to have, and it can help you to save when it comes to essential oral healthcare. When you are looking after your smile, you are contributing to the health of your entire body. However, it can be difficult to completely understand how dental insurance works, it is much different from the medical insurance that you’re used to. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your dental insurance benefits.
Utilize Your Preventive Care
If you aren’t seeing your dentist every six months for regular cleanings and checkups, you aren’t even close to fully maximizing your coverage. By attending these appointments, you can prevent oral health issues. Your hygienist will thoroughly clean your smile, and your dentist will take a look to ensure that you don’t have any existing dental problems that need to be addressed. This way, you can avoid more costly procedures in the future. For instance, if your dentist treats a cavity with a filling now, you may be able to avoid a root canal or extraction later on.
Prevent General Health Problems
Your oral health is very closely related to your overall health. People who have periodontal disease are more likely to suffer from other serious conditions, like heart disease, diabetes, respiratory issues, and pregnancy complications for pregnant women. By seeing your dentist for cleanings and checkups, you can prevent gum infections and overall health issues that will require lots of time and money to treat.
Pick an In-Network Dentist
If you have a PPO plan, this gives you the ability to choose any dentist you want for dental care, even if they aren’t in-network. However, with out-of-network dentists, your insurance isn’t as likely to cover as much of your treatment cost, so you could end up with higher out-of-pocket costs.
Use Your Flexible Spending Dollars
If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) through your employer, you should use these dollars before the year comes to an end. Most of the time, dental expenses are eligible FSA healthcare expenses. FSAs reduce your taxable income by putting aside money for healthcare. When you use tax-free dollars to pay for your dental treatment, you can ultimately save money.
Review Your Benefits
The end of the year is coming up, so now is a great time to look over your dental benefits. By knowing exactly what’s covered under your plan and when it will reset, you’ll be able to maximize your coverage easier. For most people, their benefits reset at the end of the calendar year. This means that you’ll be left responsible for paying your deductible again. Any remaining benefits will not carry over to the following year.
If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, now is the time to schedule your next appointment. This way, you can make the most of your 2021 benefits before the year comes to an end.
About the Author
Dr. Michael C. Byars earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City and is committed to continuing education to keep his knowledge and skills sharp. Currently, he is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Dental Association and Missouri Dental Association. For more information or to schedule an appointment at his office in Kansas City, visit his website or call (816) 781-8222.