Dental insurance can be an amazing tool, but that doesn’t mean you should wait until the last minute to use it. If you don’t get in to see your dentist in Lake Oswego before your benefits expire, you could miss out on potentially life-changing treatment. While each policy will be different, it’s worth checking your specific insurance to see whether your benefits expire at the end of the year. If so, schedule an appointment with your dentist before December!
Maximums
One of the most important parts of dental insurance is making sure you know your yearly maximums. A maximum is the total amount of dental benefits insurance plans offer each year. Typically, these range from about $1,000 to $1,500 a year. As always with insurance, there are probably some limitations as to what services you can use that money for. But either way, if you don’t use the maximum amount allowed to you as part of your plan, you will lose it when your benefits expire.
Deductibles
Another aspect of many dental insurances is a deductible. If your plan has a deductible, it means you must pay for a certain dollar amount of treatment before your insurance kicks in. Some patients end up paying their deductible and never take advantage of the dental benefits. Essentially, this is money lost.
Covered Treatments
One of the more confusing parts about dental insurance is what treatments are covered and how much of each treatment is covered by insurance. Sometimes insurance covers preventive care at 100% and portions of some additional services such as cosmetic dentistry. This is where your dentist in Lake Oswego can help you maximize your insurance benefits for the care you need and want.
Prevention is Best
You’ve probably heard that prevention is the best medicine. We agree, especially when it comes to dental care. The best way to maximize your dental benefits is to see your dentist regularly and at least every six months for preventive care. Many dental problems can sneak up on us and may not even have any symptoms until the problem is serious (and sometimes costly). However, preventive dental appointments can help catch potential problems early when treatment is often easier — on your and your wallet.
We understand that dental insurance can be confusing. After all, they’re all different. But they do all have one thing in common — the benefits expire. Don’t let your hard-earned dental benefits go to waste. Call to schedule an appointment with your dentist in Lake Oswego today.
