New Year, New Dental Benefits: Optimize Your Dental Insurance!

As we begin a brand-new year, we’d like to take this time to remind our patients that with the start of 2024 also comes new insurance benefits. For some of you, your dental maximum has been replenished allowing for full coverage in this new year. While others may be seeing the beginning of an entirely different plan! Insurance is a great tool that will greatly reduce out-of-pocket expenses, so make sure to utilize it fully when taking care of both your smile and wallet during this upcoming year! 

New Year, New Dental Benefits: Optimize Your Dental Insurance! - Edgemere Dental
Take advantage of your dental benefits in the new year!

As the new year approaches, it’s essential to understand your dental insurance renewal and its details. Think about questions such as; what is considered preventative dentistry? What are my deductibles? And most of all, what is my annual maximum for dental insurance coverage? Edgemere Dental can help you answer these questions and get up-to-date with your policies!

When does my dental insurance renew?

At the beginning of each calendar year, your dental insurance plan will reset. However, before you make an appointment with our El Paso dentists, it is important to check the details related to your insurance policy. To do this contact your insurer by calling their customer service number located on the back of your card and ask them about coverage for this year. Some policies renew at the start date associated with each individual contract which could differ significantly from January 1st depending on when it was originally established.

Make sure to check in with your employer regarding when your insurance coverage took effect, and subsequently when it is due for renewal. Typically speaking, renewals will take place on January 1st of each year; however, there may be some exceptions depending on the situation – particularly if you’re a long-term contractor!

What is an annual maximum?

Planning ahead can be beneficial when it comes to dental insurance. Each year, your provider will allow up to a given maximum amount toward any dental work. This annual allowance may differ based on the type of plan you purchased and is available anew each benefit period. Typically this amount remains constant regardless of how much was used in the prior year – so make sure to take advantage of all that money! Since unused funds do not accumulate, use them now or lose them forever.

How do deductibles work?

Before your dental insurance covers the cost of treatments, you will first have to pay an amount known as a deductible. This is the requirement that must be met in order for your coverage to begin.

While comprehensive dental services like teeth cleanings and preventive care are usually fully covered without having to meet your deductibles, the same cannot be said for restorative or cosmetic dentistry.

If you have a dental plan that renews annually on January 1, your insurance will usually only cover preventive dentistry until you meet the deductible threshold again. To ensure optimal dental health, it is essential to schedule appointments with your dentist on a regular basis. If you adhere to the 6-month rule, then one year you should visit twice and the following year three times—alternating between January and December.

What is considered preventive dental care?

Almost all insurance companies provide coverage for teeth cleanings, oral exams, x-rays, dental sealants, and other forms of preventive dentistry. Maximize the ROI of your dental plan by scheduling at least one teeth cleaning and oral exam every six months. Dental plans typically cover these services in full, so there’s no excuse not to make an appointment with our office right away!

By scheduling a preventive dental visit with us, we can meticulously check your oral health for signs of gum disease and alert you to any potential future requirements. We may even be able to detect warning signs in advance and save you from exorbitant costs associated with poor oral hygiene.

Preventative care is covered by your dental insurance!

Take advantage of your renewed insurance benefits and the New Year!

For current patients, if you have switched your dental insurance recently, please reach out to us as soon as possible so we can update your records with the new plan. If a check-up is in order for the new year, now is the time because scheduling is much easier than at other times of the year! We usually experience fewer appointments during this period, which means more flexibility when it comes to arranging an appointment slot that works perfectly for you. Plus, there should be plenty of time for asking questions which will give you peace of mind about any concerns you may have.

If you are covered by dental insurance, the start of a new year brings with it abundant possibilities for taking advantage of your coverage. That is right – January 1st marks an annual reset on all benefits available to you. This offers a golden chance to get any necessary dental work done in one fell swoop and plan further treatments over the course of 2024 accordingly! So if there is something that needs attending to with regard to your oral health, now would be an ideal time to consult your dentist and make use of those valuable benefits while they are still valid.

Catch dental problems early before they become costly

While it is easier to prevent oral health issues than to treat them, cavities may not start causing pain until they have advanced significantly. However, by visiting your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings, you can catch the problem early, allowing for quick repairs with fillings instead of more costly treatments, such as root canals, later on. Taking a proactive approach now could save you money in the long run!

Ask us anything!

Are you uncertain if your new insurance plan is accepted at Edgemere Dental? If so, let us do the work for you! We invite both current and new patients to give our team a call or click the button below to reserve an appointment to talk about your Insurance Eligibility. Stop worrying and start researching today with Edgemere Dental’s expertise!

Make oral health a priority this year!

2024 is the perfect time to prioritize your oral health and utilize all available dental benefits. If you would like to learn more about treatment options or wish to schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to give us a call today at 915-921-6200!