When’s the last time you saw your dentist? It’s estimated that about 1/3 of Americans aren’t visiting a dental practice for routine checkups and cleanings. One of the main reasons that people cited for skipping these necessary appointments is money. Dentistry tends to be associated with high cost, but it’s all about how you play the game. If you have insurance, there are ways to maximize your benefits to save tons on dental care. However, it’s vital to use your benefits before the end of the year! Keep reading to learn how to get the most out of your insurance benefits before the end of 2019.

How Does Dental Insurance Work?

Before you can understand how to maximize your benefits, it’s important to understand how your insurance works. Most plans will:

• Cover 100% of preventive visits like checkups and cleanings
• Cover about 70% to 80% of basic treatments like fillings
• Cover about 40% to 50% of major procedures like crowns and root canals

As you can see, dental insurance tends to favor preventive visits, giving you an incentive to proactively care for your smile.

Why Should I Use My Benefits Before the End of the Year?

Each year, your insurance gives you an annual maximum, which is the most amount of money they’re willing to spend on your dentistry in the next 12 months. Once the year is over, any dental benefits that aren’t used won’t roll over, leaving Americans with literally billions of dollars not being spent. This is the key to saving on your dental insurance: use your benefits before the end of the year! Most insurance restarts annually, however you should check with your plan to be sure.

The Importance of Seeing Your Dentist

So how do you utilize your benefits to their fullest potential before 2020? See your dentist! At minimum, you should attend routine checkups and cleanings twice a year, which will prevent more expensive and extensive dental issues in the future, but it will also help you take advantage of the insurance that you pay for each month.

Besides reducing the amount of money coming out of your wallet, routine visits will also reduce your chances of poor oral health. Dentists still check for cavities, but they also look for serious issues like gum disease and cancer. These problems are often hard to detect on your own, which makes seeing a professional potentially lifesaving.

Keep these tips in mind now that we are officially approaching the end of the year. Remember, dentistry today could save you from spending boatloads of cash tomorrow!

Meet the Dentist

Dr. Scott Grivas never wants finances to get in the way of quality dental care for his patients, which is why he’s happy to share the best ways of maximizing your insurance benefits. He is highly trained and attends continuing education courses to stay current on the latest in dentistry. For any questions, he can be reached through his website or by phone at (916) 571-0815.