Are You Throwing Away Money?

Are you throwing away money? It sounds silly when we ask that question, but if you have dental benefits and aren’t using them, that is EXACTLY what you are doing. Employers are taking money out of your paycheck to pay for your dental insurance—or in some cases you might be paying for your own.

Most plans cover at least one, possibly two, teeth cleanings and exams a year—often with no out of pocket cost to you. If you’re not taking advantage of that, any money you’re paying for the insurance is just being wasted. (And here’s a secret—often keeping up with your preventive care, such as this, means that you will have fewer big ticket dental items that you need to have done! So it will save you money in the long run.)

If you had your first cleaning late in the year (July or after) and are allowed two per year (not one every 6 months), you might be able to schedule another one before the end of the year to maximize your dental benefits.

If you’ve already paid your deductible (the dollars you have to pay before your insurance coverage kicks in) and have other dental care that you need to do, try to do it before you benefit period ends. Once the period renews (often on January 1!), your deductible starts over again too. Waiting for the new year could mean that you are throwing away the amount of your dental deductible.

Many insurances choose to pay for your crown, bridge, partial or denture when it is yours to wear home. So if you are hoping to get that appliance on this year’s insurance benefits, you need to schedule before December. Removable appliances such as partials or dentures can take two to three months to complete (meaning you'd have to schedule to start in October). Crowns and bridges are typically 3 to 4 weeks so schedule in November or early December.

If you are paying for your own dental insurance, it may be wise to look at how much you are paying and how much you are getting in return. There have been a few cases where people were paying quite a bit for minimal dental coverage. In some cases it might be wiser to find a different plan and in others it might be wiser to join our in-office plan for your cleaning appointments and bank the rest of what you'd be paying for the insurance coverage so that you have it if and when you need a more extensive dental procedure. 

Hope you’ve enjoyed these tips to get the most out of your dental insurance. If you have questions on how to best use your dental insurance at Dr. Robb’s office, we’d be glad to assist. Call 440-960-1940.

Dr. Jennifer Robb is a general dentist who sees patients of all ages at 1612 Cooper Foster Park Rd., Lorain, OH. www.drjrobb.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DrJenniferRobb (Hint: If we do run specials, many times they are announced on Facebook, so follow Dr. Robb’s page now!)