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For a low monthly fee, your dental insurance can protect both your smile and your wallet by covering a variety of important oral health treatments. However, despite only being a nominal investment, it’s understandable that you’d want to make the most of your money by maximizing your benefits. Here are five easy ways to take advantage of your dental insurance, so you can save your hard-earned cash while protecting your gorgeous grin!
Use Your Preventive Benefits
Unlike other types of insurance, dental insurance focuses on preventive care. This means that instead of waiting for a toothache or bleeding gums, you can visit the dentist every six months for your regular exams and cleanings. Not only will this help make the most of your investment, but it also means there’s less chance of ever experiencing a painful dental emergency to begin with!
Get Your Coverage Verified
While dental insurance typically covers two preventive exams and cleanings a year, your plan may also offer partial coverage for restorative and emergency care. However, before you use that coverage, it pays to know what to expect from it. If you are undergoing a more intensive treatment, reach out to your dentist’s office in advance to verify that your treatment is a) covered, and b) that you can afford to pay for any portion that’s not. If you can’t, your dentist may have other options available to offset the cost, such as in-house membership plans or flexible financing.
Manage Your Maximums
Your annual maximum is the most your dental insurance will pay for your oral health care during a given year. While this number is often high enough for people in good oral health, if you need a more costly treatment, it is possible to meet or exceed the maximum very quickly. If this is a concern, talk to your dentist about delaying your treatment or portions of it for the following year so you can use your new maximum towards the balance when it resets.
Use an In-Network Provider
There are two types of providers: in-network and out-network. With the former, you typically save more money on dental treatment because your dentist has already pre-negotiated discounted rates with your insurance provider. Conversely, while out-of-network dentists will still offer the same high-quality treatment despite your payment method, it may come at a higher cost because they do not have an exclusive agreement with your dental insurance company.
Have an Emergency Plan
While nobody wants to worry about worst case scenarios, it is still very important to have an emergency plan ready to go in case of an urgent dental problem. Thus, be sure to read the details of your individual plan to ensure that you have emergency coverage, especially if you’re travelling. Then, if the unthinkable occurs, you’ll already know how and where to use your coverage, so you won’t have to wait long for a healthy, pain-free smile!
Remember, for just a small monthly fee, your dental insurance can help protect your gorgeous grin while saving you money. To make the most of your coverage and ensure that your teeth and gums stay healthy for a lifetime, familiarize yourself with your benefits and follow these tips, and you’ll have plenty of reasons to smile!
About Dr. Julovich
Dr. Angelo Julovich began his undergraduate degree at Purdue University Calumet Campus and completed it at Indiana University Northwest. Upon completion, he remained there to earn his dental degree in 1982. A major proponent of continuing education, he has amassed countless hours since graduating, and is a proud, active member of the American Dental Association, Chicago Dental Society, and Indiana Dental Association. He has also been named a Top Dentist in the Zionsville area since 2008! To schedule an appointment at Trinity Dental, visit our website or call 317-769-3335.