Reminder Your Dental Benefits Expire Soon!

Did you know that your dental insurance annual benefits expire on December 31st? Anything you haven’t used before then will reset on New Year’s Day, January 1st.

Since most insurance plans are set up on a calendar year, you’re usually allowed a specific range of benefits from January through December. Typically, it consists of two cleanings and exams, as well as around $1,000 to $1,500 in coverage on basic treatments like fillings or crowns. Once you use them up for the year, they’re gone. Fortunately, they reset again and the cycle starts completely over. The overall goal is to help you keep your mouth healthy from one year to the next. The bad news is that if you don’t use your benefits, you still lose them. You can’t roll them over to add onto the amount of the next year, no matter how much of it goes untouched.

Should I Use or Lose My Dental Benefits?

If you have dental insurance, you’re automatically paying a monthly premium. The last thing—at least financially—that you want to do is let that investment go to waste. By utilizing your benefits and seeing our dentist in Encinitas for preventative care, you can limit the need for additional dental procedures in the future. The goal is to keep your dental care prevention-based, rather than waiting until issues start to pop up and become painful.

Most policies will cover at least two checkups per year. If you’ve only scheduled one cleaning so far, there’s still time to go ahead and get that next visit on the books. Depending on your plan’s specifics, you may not even need to schedule your cleanings as far as six months apart from one another.

Do I Need to Use the Benefits by the End of the Year?

Yes. December 31st is the last day you can use your annual dental benefits. If you still have preventative coverage you’ve not utilized or you need to have a cavity filled, it’s smart to do it before the end of the year. Not only is it more affordable (you’ll spend less money out of pocket) but it also limits the extent of physical changes to your teeth. You see, the longer cavities go untreated, the larger they become. Treating issues earlier helps preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible. Dental diseases like tooth decay and periodontitis cannot reverse themselves, so it’s essential to treat them at the earliest onset of symptoms.

Get Your Family Off on the Right Start

Make oral health a priority in the new year. When your smile is healthy, your body’s immune system naturally enjoys a boost. But untreated dental disease can strain your immunity, making you more at risk of illnesses like pneumonia, respiratory disease, and even high blood pressure. Great oral health is a reflection of good overall wellness. If you’re planning to get healthy in the new year, plan to start off with a clean, cavity-free smile!

Questions About Your Insurance Benefits?

Encinitas Family Dentistry works closely with each of our patients to help them understand the benefits that are included in their insurance plan. By working closely with your carrier, we can help you maximize your benefits and limit out-of-pocket expenses. Any time you need treatment, we’ll provide you with an itemized breakdown of your estimated coverage. That way you know what your portion is expected to be well ahead of any scheduled treatments!

When Should I Schedule an Appointment to Use My Remaining Benefits?

It’s best to plan a visit with our dentist in Encinitas as soon as you’re free. Most end-of-the-year appointments tend to go quickly, so limited scheduling is available. If you reserve an appointment today, there’s still a good chance that you can get caught up on all of your treatment before benefits expire on December 31st. Contact us now to get started.