4 Reasons To Use Your Dental Insurance Before Your Plan Renews

Most people don’t want to look at or touch their dental insurance policy because learning the ins-and-outs can be tedious and difficult. If there’s one thing you should know, it’s that most plans renew at the beginning of each year. When you schedule your routine checkup and cleaning with your dentist in Edison before then, you can save yourself from out-of-pocket costs and make sure your mouth is healthy and happy for upcoming holiday family photos. Read on for four reasons to get the most out of your benefits before it’s too late.

Get in While Your Insurance Is Still Paying Out

Every year, your dental insurance provider will set a maximum for you, which is the most amount of money that they’ll pay for your dental care within the year. Depending on your policy, it can average anywhere from about $1,000 to $1,500. If you’d like a specific amount, it’s best to contact your insurance company directly. On the first day of January, your yearly maximum will renew, and any unused benefits won’t rollover, making it best to get the most out of them while they’re still available.

Save While Your Deductible Is Met

Your deductible is the amount of money you have to pay out-of-pocket before your dental insurance provider will contribute to the payment of any services. Each deductible varies from plan-to-plan, so it’s best to contact your company to find out what yours is, so there’s no surprise when you go in for your first treatment of the new year. However, the typical amount is around $50 each year. That means that you’ll need to pay $50 out-of-pocket before your insurance will pay out. Because your deductible will restart every year, it’s best to get the treatment you need now, before you have to pay out-of-pocket costs again.

Schedule While Dental Fees Are Still Low

Just like how your apartment rent can increase each time you renew your lease, your dentist’s office rent can too. Not to mention, the cost of materials, equipment, and additional labor fluctuate frequently. Because of this, some dentists change their rates at the beginning of the year to help compensate for these additional costs, which can cause your copayment to increase. If you don’t want to take a gamble on whether fees will increase or not, it’s best to get the treatment you need while your copayment is still low.

Preventive Treatment Costs Less

Most insurance policies have a structure of 100-80-50, which means they pay 100 percent of preventive treatments, 80 percent of minor services, and 50 percent of any costly and more invasive procedures. That means that it’s significantly less pricey for you to keep up with your dental care and make routine preventive visits than to let oral health problems become more severe.

With these four reasons in mind, it seems like a no-brainer to schedule your checkup and cleaning with your dentist in Edison if you haven’t yet. Routine preventive care doesn’t just keep your wallet full and preserve your monthly budget, it also saves you from experiencing oral discomfort and needing serious invasive treatments down the road. You won’t regret getting the most out of your insurance benefits when you realize just how much you’ll be saving!

About the Author

Dr. Steven Resnick has completed an intensive general practice residency program and has been trained in oral surgery and pediatric dentistry. In his decades of experience, he has had an opportunity to work with a variety of patients with different needs. He also focuses on providing each person that walks through his doors with high-quality preventive care that saves them from discomfort down the road. For questions or to schedule a routine checkup and cleaning, visit his website or call 908-668-7838.