As the end of the year quickly approaches, you may be wondering if you’ve done all you can to maximize your dental insurance benefits. With so many challenges occurring throughout 2020, many people opted out of seeing their dentist for regular checkups because of shutdowns and practicing an overabundance of caution when trying to avoid COVID-19. Unfortunately, the benefits that come with your dental plan won’t roll over into next year just because of the chaos that ensued during 2020. To avoid losing your hard-earned money and keep your smile looking its best, a dentist shares a few quick tips for taking advantage of your policy while there’s still time.
The Truth About Your Benefits
Each year, less than 3% of dental insurance policyholders meet or exceed their annual maximum. This capped allotment provided to you by your insurer enables you to take care of your oral health should you require more extensive dental work. Unfortunately, if any of this available money remains in your account at midnight on December 31, it is returned to your insurance company. Not to mention, on January 1, your deductible resets to $0.
This hard-hitting realization often leaves patients like yourself regretting not taking advantage of these available funds, which is why it’s in your best interest to get the most out of your plan now.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Plan
With only a short amount of time left before the end of the year, here are a few things you can do to maximize your available benefits.
- Schedule a second checkup: One thing dental insurance companies are offering as a result of COVID-19 is the ability to see your dentist a second time this calendar year without having to wait the standard “six months and one day.” These preventive visits not only prevent problems from occurring in the future, but they also allow you to get the care you need without paying much, if anything, out of pocket.
- Don’t wait to schedule a complex treatment: Need a tooth extraction? Did your dentist recommend a root canal? Need to undergo periodontal treatment? By scheduling these procedures before the end of 2020, you can use your annual maximum and avoid sending additional money back to your insurer. If the service you need requires multiple visits, it may be possible for your dentist to spread it out across calendar years, so you can use your yearly allotment for 2020 and 2021 without paying more out of pocket.
- See an in-network dentist: With a PPO dental plan, you have the option to choose your dentist. But when comparing fees, you will find seeing someone who is in-network will ultimately save you more money in the long run as opposed to someone who is out of network.
Although you may still feel a bit apprehensive about visiting your dentist’s office right now, you should call and speak to a member of the team about the health and safety protocols being implemented. While your dentist wants to protect you from COVID-19 exposure, they also want to keep your smile healthy and your wallet full as the new year approaches.
About the Author
Dr. Wael Kassem completed his dental studies at Temple University in 2007 before enrolling in a program with Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, working in the level one trauma center. Now that he leads a team of expert staff at iSmile Dental Arts, he remains committed to providing exceptional dentistry in a state-of-the-art facility. His dedication to the field led him to be named one of America’s top dentists for several years in a row. Offering comprehensive care to patients living in Williamstown and its surrounding communities, he and his team are always hard at work to ensure all available services are affordable. If you have dental insurance and want to take advantage of your benefits before they expire, contact us at (856) 818-9998.
