How Can I Best Use My Dental Insurance? Preparing For The New Year

Proper planning is the best way to make the most of your dental insurance policy, and with the New Year just around the corner, Santo Dental Group is here with a quick guide on how you can make the most of your dental insurance and maximize your benefits. Read on, and see how you can save money and maximize your insurance payouts this year.

1. Make Sure You Stay In-Network

First of all, it’s very important to make sure that you visit an in-network dentist. While most dentists accept all major dental insurance plans, it never hurts to double-check if you’re visiting a new dentist in Red Bank, such as Santo Dental Group. 

Among other plans, we accept Delta Premier, Cigna Total DPPO, United Concordia Elite, and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Dental Option. We recommend contacting your insurer directly if you need more information about in-network dentists in Red Bank.

2. Schedule Two Preventive Appointments Per Year

Almost all dental plans cover two preventive appointments per year, so it’s best to maximize this benefit by always seeing one of the dentists at Santo Dental Group twice per year. Your plan will also usually include a set of x-rays every 12 months.

3. Know What’s Covered For Your Kids

Coverage for kids is a bit different than coverage for adults. For example, even if you don’t have your own dental insurance policy, ACA Marketplace plans are required to cover the cost of preventive treatment like dental sealants.

We recommend consulting with your insurer directly to make sure you understand how your benefits affect your kids, and what preventive care they can get. Yearly maximums and deductibles also may be different for pediatric dental insurance.

4. Understand Your Deductible

Your dental insurance deductible is the minimum amount of “out-of-pocket” money you must pay before your dental plan begins paying for covered treatments. For example, if you have a $400 deductible, you must pay $400 before your plan begins covering the cost of further treatments.

It’s a good idea to plan around this. For example, if you need three fillings near the end of the year, getting them all done at once means you're more likely to meet your deductible, which will reduce the amount of money you have to pay out of pocket.

5. Plan Around Your Annual Maximum

In addition to a deductible, most dental plans also have a “yearly maximum” that the plan will pay toward dental care. This is usually somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500, but may vary.

After your plan has paid this amount toward your dental care, you will be responsible for paying the remainder of your treatment out of pocket. However, you can plan around this to make the most of your plan.

For example, if you need to get two crowns and fillings, you can get your crowns in December, and meet your annual maximum for the year. Then, you can schedule your filling appointments in January, since most dental benefits “roll over” on January 1st. This way, you’ll make the most of your plan, and you will reduce your out-of-pocket costs.

We’ll Help You Get The Most Out Of Your Plan At Santo Dental Group!

If you need dental care in Red Bank, the team at Santo Dental Group can help you coordinate your care to make the most of your insurance policy. Contact us online or give us a call at (732) 530-1003 to schedule your first consultation today.