Dental Insurance at the End of the Year

As calendar year winds down, some of our patients are wondering whether they still have dental insurance benefits left to use. This is something to check with your insurance coordinator or by calling the number on the back of your card. There are some considerations to keep in mind if you have dental benefits left and you’d like to maximize them, and there are other things to think about if you are almost or completely out of benefits for the year and still have work to be done.

Is the Work Urgent?

If you need to have dental work done because you’re in pain or because you have tooth decay that is in danger of getting worse, then you need to schedule it this year if possible. You should not put off necessary treatment if at all possible. If you are nearing the end of your benefit maximum and you have a lot of work to be done, have the most urgent treatment completed first.

What’s Left of Your Maximum?

Most dental insurance plans have a yearly maximum, and many patients have gotten close to or exceeded theirs by this point in the year. If you have non-urgent work to be done, look through your treatment plan with your dentist to determine if any of the procedures will fit into this year’s maximum. If you still have a lot of benefits left, December might be a good time to get a jump on your treatment plan and try to use some of the funds you’re entitled to.

Did You Pay Your Deductible?

While most people have paid their deductibles by the time December rolls around, if you haven’t had any treatment (other than cleanings and checkups), it’s possible you haven’t. If you have a small amount of work to be done, be aware that you’ll need to pay your deductible in December. If you have more work to be done in the following year, you’ll pay it again.

Taking a look at what you have left in terms of both treatment and dental insurance benefits can save you money over the next month to the next year. Give us a call if you’d like to schedule an appointment in the coming weeks.