Once the end of the year rolls around, the most pressing matter on your mind is probably how you’ll decorate the house this year or what gifts you need to get for family members. Unfortunately, maximizing dental benefits is not typically at the forefront, but it’s still incredibly important.
Benefits often get wasted and oral health gets put at risk, which is why a dentist in Ken Caryl is ready to make the process of maximizing benefits this year simple. Here’s how you get started!
Know Your Benefits
Dental insurance is not always the easiest subject to navigate, but as long as you keep certain terms in mind, it shouldn’t be too difficult. For example, most dental plans offer what is called a yearly maximum, which references how much of your dental costs an insurance plan will cover in a given year. Considering that most people don’t exceed their dental insurance plan maximum, chances are likely that you can still take advantage of your plan.
In fact, a study from the National Association of Dental Plans found that only 2.8 percent of PPO plan participants met or exceeded their annual maximum, despite the fact that the average maximum can be as high as $1,250.
Contact your dental insurance directly or speak with the HR manager at your workplace to confirm your benefits. Both of these individuals can clarify important details of your plan, such as treatments considered to be preventive and what you can expect in terms of out-of-pocket costs.
Consider Preventive Treatments
Before you can schedule an appointment, you’ll need to know what benefits you intend to utilize. A great place to start is preventive treatments, including exams, cleanings, X-rays and fluoride applications. These are often covered at higher percentages compared to more complex or restorative care. Plus, it’s likely that you’ve only had one exam or cleaning in the past year, when you really should be having an exam and cleaning every six months.
Preventive treatments are typically covered anywhere from 80 to 100 percent, largely because insurance companies want patients to maintain proper long-term oral health. Doing this lowers your risk of needing emergency or restorative treatments later.
Get Scheduled As Soon As Possible!
Since it’s almost the end of the year, you don’t want the dentist’s time slots to fill up too soon. Getting scheduled now is crucial if you want to maximize the benefits you have. Of course, if you set up a treatment plan now, you can stagger the following appointments necessary into the new year. It’s the perfect way to get the most out of your benefits while still getting a head-start on your treatment.
Don’t let the benefits you paid into go to waste. Schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist in Ken Caryl to learn more on how you can get the most out of insurance!
About the Author
Dr.Susan Kutis earned her DDS degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. Her practice is in-network with Delta Dental Premier and her office is more than happy to process and file insurance claims on your behalf. To learn more about the practice, you can contact her through her website.
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