Making sure your child receives regular dental checkups and cleanings is essential. Preventive care is known to be the most effective way to safeguard against tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease. But if you’re not using your dental insurance to take better care of your child’s smile, you could not only be risking their oral health but also losing valuable money along the way. Here are three reasons you should get them in to see a pediatric dentist now while you can still take advantage of your available benefits.
Preventive Care Costs Little to Nothing Out of Pocket
Your child’s pediatric dentist in Garland regularly stresses the importance of preventive care. Six-month dental checkups and cleanings are proven effective at identifying oral health problems early on. But it’s not just the dentist who urges these visits. Your dental insurance company does as well. If you review your policy, you will find that most plans provide 100% coverage for preventive services. The reason for this is to help you and your child avoid more serious, complex, and costly treatment later on. By getting ahead of the problems, you can minimize their risk while helping them maintain better oral health. And these visits cost you little to nothing out of pocket.
Meeting Your Deductible Can Help You Save
Even if you are diligent in making sure your child takes proper care of their teeth and gums at home, problems can still arise. Should they develop a severe cavity or sustain dramatic dental injuries, meeting your deductible will help you to save on restorative care. Because most companies agree to cover between 50 and 80% of the total cost for minor and major services, as long as you’ve met your deductible, you’ll pay much less out of pocket. Your insurance company will consider how much of your annual maximum is available, but by choosing to take care of your child’s oral health issue now, you can avoid having to meet your deductible again at the start of the new year. Ultimately, this decision has the potential to save you lots of money.
Your Dental Benefits Expire at the End of the Year
If you were not aware before, it’s important that you realize your dental benefits will expire at midnight on December 31. If your policy is based on a single calendar year, that means you have 12 months to maximize your plan. Any unused funds left behind once the clock strikes midnight will be returned to your insurance company. This is how you can lose thousands of dollars each year on a plan you’re already paying for. Not to mention, your deductible will reset to $0 on January 1.
If you want to keep more of your hard-earned money, it’s best to talk with your child’s dental team about how you can make sure you’re getting the most out of your benefits.
About the Author
Dr. Lily Hoang is a board-certified pediatric dentist and parent. She achieved her doctorate at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA before going a step further and finishing her Advanced Education in General Dentistry certification at the Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn and her pediatric certification at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Dr. Hoang and her team want what is best for your child, which means making sure you’re using your dental insurance benefits to help your little one achieve a healthy and beautiful smile. If you need help to identify ways you can maximize your plan, save money, and ensure your child’s oral health is in optimal shape, visit our website or call (469) 925-0861.