Dental insurance can be an invaluable tool for making dental care more affordable. But are you certain that you’re getting the absolute most out of your benefits? It’s important to make sure that you understand all of the ins and outs of your insurance plan in order to maximize your out-of-pocket savings. To help make things easier, here are 4 important dental insurance facts that you will want to keep in mind.
1. You Need to Consider Your Deductible
The deductible is the amount that you need to pay out of your own pocket for dental care before your coverage kicks in. Many dental insurance plans have an annual deductible that resets at the end of the year. However, you may not have to worry about the deductible for dental checkups and other preventive treatments. Be sure to review your plan so that you can make sure that you fully understand how your deductible will affect the amount you need to pay for a given service.
2. Dental Insurance Plans Often Come With Waiting Periods
If you just bought your dental insurance plan, you may have to wait until the end of a given waiting period to start using your benefits. Note that different services come with different waiting periods. For example, it may be months before your dental insurance company is willing to pay for a variety of restorative treatments; meanwhile, preventive services may not have any waiting periods at all.
3. Dental Insurance Generally Emphasizes Preventive Care
Many dental insurance plans follow a 100-80-50 structure. This means they provide 100% coverage for preventive services, 80% for basic restorative care, and 50% for major restorative treatments. In other words, your dental insurance plan will pay more for services that are meant to stop dental problems from happening in the first place than it will for treatments performed to correct any damage that has already been done.
4. Many Plans Come with an Annual Maximum
Dental insurance companies typically put a cap on the amount that they’re willing to pay for dental care of any kind during a given year. This cap is known as the annual maximum, and it’s something you want to keep in mind when planning to have dental work performed. Ideally, you will want to come as close as possible to meeting your annual maximum without exceeding it; that way, you can take full advantage of your benefits before they reset at the end of the year.
About the Author
Dr. Ryan Shaffer earned his dental degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He has attended classes on all aspects of dentistry, allowing him to provide truly comprehensive care. His Lincoln practice, South Ridge Dental, is in-network with Aetna, Delta Dental Premier, BlueCross BlueShield, and many other popular dental insurance plans. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Shaffer, visit his website or call (402) 423-1616.