You’re excited to start your new job. Whether you’re fresh out of college or you’re a seasoned pro, starting at a new company can come with a lot of benefits you need to understand, including dental insurance. But how can you make sure you get the most value for your money? In other words, how do you maximize dental insurance benefits to your advantage? Here are three simple tips to get you started!
Go to an In-Network Dental Practice
If you want to spend the least amount possible out-of-pocket, you need to choose a practice that not only accepts your insurance but is also in-network. Plenty of practices are happy to file reimbursement paperwork for you, but you pay for everything at the time of service and wait on the partial check. An in-network dentist has agreed to discounted pricing for various procedures, and only your co-pay, if applicable, is due at the appointment.
So, instead of paying 100 percent of the cost upfront and then getting a low percentage back later, you only pay what insurance doesn’t cover. For example, many plans cover fillings about 80 percent of the total cost. When you work with an in-network dentist, this means you’ll be responsible for paying for only 20 percent at the time of service, not higher as with out-of-network providers.
Take Advantage of Preventive Care
Although plans can vary, most of them provide for the majority, if not all, of the cost of preventive care. In general, you receive two dental checkups and cleanings per year at no additional cost. These may seem unnecessary if you are practicing a healthy hygiene routine at home, but over six months, you’re bound to miss some plaque in your mouth. Once it hardens, it is much more difficult to remove. That’s where your professional cleaning can finish the job and keep plaque and tartar from building up and creating costly cavities.
Identify and Treat Problems Early
In addition to clearing away tartar deposits, your six-month appointment also involves a thorough examination of your teeth and gums. At the earliest sign of trouble, your dentist can take care of a problem while it’s small and easy to treat. For example, a small cavity today could be resolved now with a tooth-colored filling, which is relatively cheap, but it could require a dental crown, which costs more, down the road.
In other words, the sooner you address an issue, the less it will likely cost you! Getting a dental checkup regularly allows the dentist to catch cavities, gum disease, and other problems as early as possible, potentially saving you from having to spend hundreds of dollars on treatment later on.
Ultimately, while the world of insurance can get complicated, the easiest and most cost-effective way to enjoy your benefits is to use them wisely. By following these tips, you can get the most value out of your dental insurance, giving you endless reasons to smile!
About the Practice
At Healthy Smiles Dental Care, we are proud to be in-network with most PPO dental insurance plans. Although we have the training and expertise to perform advanced procedures, we prefer to help our patients save on costs by keeping up with their preventive care. If you have questions about using your insurance with us, we invite you to reach out to our team by calling 989-736-7000 or going online here, or to your insurance provider for support.