Maximize your Dental Insurance Benefits before the End of the Year

Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg, PA

In one sense, 2020 felt like the longest year ever. Yet like all the other years, the holiday season snuck up on us in a hurry. We’ll be ringing in a new year before we know it, which means a fresh start and new beginnings. If you have dental insurance, it means that your benefits will expire at the end of the year as your deductible and maximums reset at the start of 2021. You’ve paid for those benefits all year, so don’t let them go to waste. Today on the blog, our general dentists in Bloomsburg share four ways to maximize your dental insurance benefits before the end of the year.

1. Get an exam and cleaning

Most dental insurance policies cover preventive care such as exams and cleanings at 80-100% twice a year (or once every six months). This means that you may have little to no out-of-pocket expense to get your teeth cleaned and examined by the dentist. Remember that you may need to meet your deductible if your policy has one that hasn’t been met yet. If your insurance covers these six-month checkups entirely, and you have no deductible or co-pay, consider it a free visit! The American Dental Association recommends that everyone go to the dentist at least once every six months. These preventive care appointments help keep your oral health in check, just like routine maintenance on your car so that it stays running smoothly, limiting breakdown and failure.

2. Get much-needed dental work done

Need a cavity filled or a tooth capped with a dental crown? If you’ve been putting off much-needed dental work, now is the time to get it taken care of. Dental insurance plans often have a yearly maximum, which means that they will only pay benefits up to a certain amount each year. Once the year is over, the maximum resets. Unused portions from the prior year do not roll over, which means you’re throwing away money you’ve paid to use.

3. Follow through with gum disease treatments

Gum disease affects half of the adults in the U.S., and it is the number one cause of tooth loss. While it can’t be cured, professional dental treatments help manage the disease and prevent it from worsening. If you have gum disease, it’s a great time to put those unused dental insurance benefits towards paying for your treatments. Part of managing this common oral disease is routine treatments. And, since many gum disease patients often require multiple treatments throughout the year, be sure to work in one last dental visit before your benefits expire.

4. Upgrade your old dental work

Metal fillings, gold and silver crowns, and dentures have been used by dentists for decades. But they aren’t the most natural-looking restorations. If you have old dental work, especially if it has begun to breakdown or fail, make use of your remaining dental benefits by upgrading to metal-free restorations or a new set of comfortable custom dentures.

Top-Rated Family Dentists in Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg

If you would like to learn more about how your dental insurance plan works or how you can utilize your remaining benefits, contact Hamilton Dental Care by calling (570) 387-0533. We welcome patients of Bloomsburg, Danville, and Lewisburg.