Maximizing Your Dental Insurance Benefits

A dentist works on a patient's teeth.

As another year winds down, it’s time to check out your dental insurance policy and your healthcare flex spending accounts. These benefits all expire on December 31st, and it’s standard policy across the dental insurance industry for unused benefits to expire. With no rollover, it’s important to get around to using dental benefits before end of year deadlines draw near. You’re paying for all the benefits you receive in a year, so getting the most out of your dental insurance means using all the services you can before December ends.

Do Dental Benefits Ever Roll Over?

For the average policy from a provider like Blue Cross Blue Shield Dental, you’ll find your policy terms come with a strict deadline on annual benefits. Almost every provider sets this deadline on December 31st, the end of the calendar year. Some insurance providers allow for roll over on specific policies, plans, or benefits. For example, Delta Dental has a Rollover Max feature that allows for rolling over most dental benefits any year you at least get a dental cleaning or exam. Unless your policy has a specific allowance for rolling benefits over, your Cigna Dental or United Health Dental insurance likely includes an expiration date at the end of each year.

Finding Dentists That Take Dental Insurance

If you don’t already have a dentist that handles your care, you’ll definitely want to find one that accepts your insurance as soon as possible. Getting into a different dentist that offers other treatments than your standard care provider can also help you maximize the use of your benefits. For example, you may need a referral to an endodontist for a root canal or an orthodontist if you need adult braces. Make sure you verify that any new dentists you plan to see during the last few months of the year accept your insurance policy and will provide the treatments you’re seeking so you don’t end up with unexpected dental bills in the new year.

A dentist views results with a patient.

Choosing a Relaxing and Luxurious Experience

Just because you’re trying to fit another cleaning in before the end of the year doesn’t have to mean settling for a rushed or uncomfortable experience. Look for a dentist that specializes in premium care and patient-first treatment. You risk giving yourself hesitation or anxiety towards dental treatments if you settle for a less pleasant experience in your hurry to get a procedure done before the end of the year. Take your time in selecting a dentist to handle this work for you, whether it’s something as simple as a cleaning or as intensive as a root canal. Choose a spa-like environment that makes you feel supported rather than rushed or pressured.

Consider Making Big Improvements to Your Smile

Some years you may not use up much of your dental benefits, only using the standard covered cleanings and checkups. This could leave you with thousands of dollars in leftover coverage for the year, especially if you have a plan that does roll over year after year. Using up a large chunk of dental benefits at once will generally require some kind of big improvement to your smile. Some work may still need to be paid for out of pocket, but using a little of your savings to cover a cosmetic procedure or dental implant could help you pay for the majority of the work from your expiring benefits. Don’t miss out on thousands of dollars of dental benefits when paying a little out of pocket could help you take advantage of them before December 31st.

Here at Premier Dental Club, we’re more than just your affordable dentist. We specialize in providing a high-class dental experience that will make you feel comfortable through the entire process. No matter what kind of dental benefits you have that need to be used up before the end of the year, choose us here at Premier Dental Club to feel like you’re spending the day at the spa rather than in the dentist’s chair.

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