Making the Most of Your Dental Insurance

Caring for your health isn’t always cheap, but insurance goes a long way in bringing down the cost of your treatment. If you have dental insurance coverage through your employer or another program, it’s a good idea to be familiar with all the ways that it can help you save money.

Figuring out what & how much your insurance covers can be a bit tricky sometimes, but there are several benefits that apply to most dental plans. Let’s review them now.

Regular Cleanings & Exams

The best savings you’ll get from your insurance plan are for routine dental visits. This usually covers most or even all of the cost of getting your teeth cleaned & examined twice a year.

By seeing the dentist every six months, not only will your smile be sparkly & clean, but you’ll also be able to catch any potential dental problems before they become bigger & more expensive to fix. Like with the rest of your health, prevention is your main defense.

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network Dentists

Where you choose to go for care can also significantly affect how much you pay for dentistry. This isn’t just because different offices set different prices; it also depends on whether your dentist is in network with your insurance provider.

Insurance companies often choose to work with specific dentists in order to offer their members lower prices for treatment. This means that if you go to a dental practice that is not in their network, your plan may cover a smaller portion of your treatment costs & ultimately leave you with a larger bill.

To avoid paying more for your dental care, you can ask your dentist if they’re in network with your coverage, or you can check out your insurance provider’s website to find a list of in-network dentists in your area.

Annual Maximum

Each year your insurance benefits will cover up to a certain amount of money—often thousands of dollars in treatment costs. If you use up all of that coverage, you’ll need to wait until next year before your insurance will pay for your treatment again.

Many patients with insurance don’t use all of their yearly benefits. If you need a lot of dental work, it can be advantageous to use as much of your insurance as possible within a single year. Otherwise, you’re basically leaving money on the table.

Don’t let your dental insurance go to waste. Taking advantage of your benefits is an important way to safeguard your health & your wealth.