While you’ve probably heard you should use all your dental benefits before the end of the year, did you know that it’s also a great idea to schedule dental appointments in the first quarter of the new year? That’s what we recommend. Keep reading to learn why!
Why Should I Use My Dental Benefits Now?
There are plenty of great reasons to use your dental benefits now:
- Preventative Care
Preventative care is your best friend when it comes to healthy teeth and gums. At a minimum, you should come in every 6 months so we can remove tartar, perform an oral cancer screening, and examine the health of your teeth and gums.
By getting preventative care regularly, you’ll keep your mouth in tip-top shape and reduce the likelihood of needing more complicated and expensive dental procedures further down the road.
- New Year, New Benefits
Some people postpone dental treatment once their benefits run out. We do not recommend this, as dental problems only get more expensive to fix and/or more painful the longer you wait. The good news is, most dental benefit plans renew with the new year, meaning that you may now have insurance coverage to assist with the cost of any dental problems you’ve been putting off.
- Extensive Procedures
Some dental procedures need to be performed in phases over an extended period of time, so the mouth has time to heal between visits. For that reason, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment early in the year. Then, if you find that you do require multiple visits to take care of a problem, you’ll have enough time to schedule those visits before the end of the year to maximize your dental benefits.
- Insurance Requirements
Occasionally, a treatment plan that is more complicated may warrant the submission of a pre-treatment estimate to your insurance company to get a better idea of your coverage. If your insurance company implements restrictions on their coverage of your care, a pre-treatment estimate may allow you to better plan your procedures to avoid unpleasant surprises later. As you can imagine, all of this back-and-forth takes time, because every insurance plan offers different coverage levels and has its own restrictions. Remember, we will always make our recommendations based on what is best for you and the treatment you need, not what your insurance plan will cover. The most important thing when developing a treatment plan is that you and your doctor discuss the options that are right for you. Your dental benefits should never be the deciding factor in your care and are simply assistance with the cost.
By making a dental appointment early in the new year, you’ll allow us the opportunity to have all your insurance details worked out early on. That will make it easier for you to maximize your annual benefits, should we determine that you require multiple dental procedures over an extended period of time.
- Budgeting
For many people, a new year means a new budget. Unfortunately, budgeting is difficult when you don’t know what dental procedures you and your family members will need throughout the year.
By visiting our office early in the year for an evaluation, we can work with you to determine the best course of treatment, research your dental benefits, and provide you with an estimated cost of your dental care and financing options, if necessary. With this information in hand, you’ll be in the best position to make an accurate budget.
How Can I Schedule a Dentist Appointment with Smile Hilliard?
At Smile Hilliard, we make it easy to schedule your next dentist appointment. To do so, you can schedule your visit online or call our office at 614-328-9489 to request an appointment.
We are located at 6304 Scioto Darby Road in Hilliard and offer convenient office hours, including early mornings, for your convenience.
