Maximizing Your Dental Insurance Benefits: 3 Helpful Tips

Most dental insurance plans reset annually; when they do, any benefits that remain unused are simply lost. If you want to get the most out of your dental insurance, then it’s essential to ensure that you’re making full use of the benefits that you’ve paid for! To maximize your dental insurance benefits and save as much money as possible on important dental care, try following these 3 useful tips.

1. Schedule at Least Two Preventive Appointments Each Year

You can typically expect your dental insurance plan to mostly or fully cover the cost of two dental checkups and cleanings each year. This provides an easy way to utilize your benefits even if there’s currently nothing wrong with your mouth. Furthermore, regular preventive visits give your dentist the chance to identify and address oral health issues in their earliest stages; in the long run, this can help you avoid more severe problems that could be costly to treat.

2. Get as Close to Your Annual Maximum as Possible

Your dental insurance company will likely put a hard upper limit on the amount they’re willing to pay for your dental care within a given year. This amount is known as the annual maximum, and it’s generally best to use as much of it as possible while your current benefits are still available. As such, if you haven’t reached your annual maximum yet, it’s a good idea to have any necessary dental procedures completed before your plan resets; that way, you can take full advantage of the benefits that you currently have.

3. Make Sure That You Fully Understand Your Coverage

From MetLife to Delta Dental, there are many dental insurance carriers to choose from, and each one sets its own standards regarding the coverage it provides. Thus, it’s important to review your benefits to confirm what is and isn’t covered. This will make it easier to put together a plan for utilizing your dental insurance to help pay for any treatments you might need.

Many dental insurance plans will provide 100% coverage for preventive care, 80% coverage for basic restorative care, and 50% coverage for major restorative care. You generally shouldn’t expect your dental insurance company to help pay for purely elective services, which include most forms of cosmetic dentistry.

If you need additional help figuring out the best way to get the most out of your dental insurance, remember that you always have the option of speaking with the team at your dental office. They can review your insurance policy with you and work with you to figure out a plan for maximizing your benefits.

About the Author

Dr. Patrick Crowley graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, and he is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, the Oklahoma Dental Association, and the American Dental Association. At his Edmond practice, Bluff Creek Dental, he accepts a variety of dental insurance plans, including Delta Dental and MetLife. If you’re ready to schedule your next dental appointment and start taking advantage of your dental insurance benefits, contact Dr. Crowley’s office by visiting his website or calling (405) 751-5515.