Max Out Your Benefits with Your Delta Dental Dentist in Rocky Hill

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As of right now, about 60% of the U.S. population has some form of private dental insurance, and if this includes you, you’d probably like to know how you can get the absolute most out of your investment. Fortunately, maximizing your benefits isn’t that hard, and with these 3 simple tips, you can trust that you’re saving as much as you can every time you visit your Delta Dental dentist in Rocky Hill.

Use Your Plan for Checkups & Cleanings

While dental insurance and health insurance are both intended to help people save when they go to the doctor, they work a little bit differently. Dental insurance is mainly focused on prevention, because avoiding dental issues is much less expensive and better for the teeth than just treating them as problems pop up. This is why, for most plans, preventive services like checkups and cleanings are completely or mostly covered while restorative care (such as fillings, crowns, and bridges) are only partially covered.

For you, this means the best way to use your plan is to have it cover your two recommended appointments each year. Your insurance will likely pay for them, and they’ll also keep your teeth healthy so you won’t need more involved (and expensive!) treatments in the future.

Go In-Network

When a practice is “in-network with a particular” insurance provider, it means they have a contract with that provider to offer their services for pre-negotiated (usually discounted) fees. This set-up actually allows you to save money in two distinct ways if you visit a dentist who is in network with your plan.

If you have Cigna, for example, and you visit a Cigna dentist in Rocky Hill, the cost of your care won’t just be discounted, but your plan will cover part of that lower rate as well. You won’t get these kinds of savings if you visit an out-of-network dentist, so in order to max out your plan, always go in-network when you can.

Don’t Let Your Benefits Expire

Most dental insurance plans have what is called an annual maximum, which is the highest dollar amount of care it will cover per person, per year. On average, this amount is about $1,250. However, most people only receive about $323 worth of dental care each year, leaving about $927 leftover. Unfortunately, when the new year begins, that money will not rollover, and the annual maximum will instead reset. Where does all that extra money go? Straight back to the insurance company.

In order to make sure you’re not leaving any money on the table, the best thing you can do is max out your benefits before the end of the year if you haven’t already. If you’ve only had one checkup and cleaning this year, now’s the perfect time to schedule another one. Need a tooth repaired or replaced? You can get the process started now, and you’ll save while doing it. Have ongoing dental work that needs to be completed? You can wrap it up before 2018, and it will cost you much less out of pocket.

With these 3 tips, you can trust that you’re taking care of both your smile and your wallet whenever you visit the dentist. Using your dental insurance can be a bit confusing at times, but these tips will make sure you’re saving in the smartest ways possible.

About the Author

Dr. Thaddeus S. Michalski is a practicing general, restorative, and cosmetic dentist, and he is also an in-network Delta Dental, Cigna, and Anthem dentist in Rocky Hill, CT. He believes that even the highest-quality dental care should always be affordable, so he’s happy to help his patients maximize their insurance. To learn how he can use your plan to help you save at your next appointment, he can be contacted through his website.