{"id":232,"date":"2019-11-29T17:45:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-29T17:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/?p=232"},"modified":"2022-03-23T13:09:49","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T13:09:49","slug":"4-tips-for-using-your-dental-insurance-before-you-lose-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/2019\/11\/29\/4-tips-for-using-your-dental-insurance-before-you-lose-it\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Tips for Using Your Dental Insurance Before You Lose It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Dental<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The new year is almost here, and your dental insurance\nbenefits are about to reset. Unfortunately, unused benefits can\u2019t be carried\nover, so if you don\u2019t want to lose out on the savings they entitle you to,\nyou\u2019ll need to start making plans to utilize them now. If you\u2019re not sure where\nto start, a dentist in Oklahoma City has 4 tips that you can use as a\nguideline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

1. Make Sure You Understand What Your Plan Offers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First of all, it\u2019s important that you know exactly what\nbenefits you\u2019re entitled to. Each plan has what\u2019s known as a maximum \u2013 in other\nwords, the absolute most they\u2019ll pay for coverage during the year. If you\u2019ve\npaid your premiums and met your deductible, your insurance will typically help\npay for preventive care in addition various procedures (from basic treatments\nsuch as fillings to major restorative work such as dental crown placement).\nTake the time to familiarize yourself with your plan and figure out which\nbenefits you have already used this year \u2013 as well as what is still available!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Talk to Your Dentist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You should take the time to go over your plan with your\ndentist and their dental team about your dental insurance. The level of\ncoverage you\u2019re entitled to will vary from practice to practice depending on\nwhether the dentist is in-network with your provider or not. Learning how the\ncoverage will be handled ahead of time will make it less likely for you to be\nsurprised by additional fees later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Schedule a Checkup and Cleaning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Looking for an easy way to use your benefits? Schedule a\ndental checkup \u2013 especially if you haven\u2019t already had two this year. Most of\nthe time, your policy will offer full coverage for preventive examinations and\ncleanings; they might also pay 80% or more for dental sealants, fluoride\ntreatments, and other procedures that help stop cavities and gum disease from\never occurring in the first place. By seeing the dentist on a regular basis\nevery six months, you\u2019ll maximize your dental insurance coverage while also\npreventing more severe oral health issues that typically require more costly\ntreatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Think Ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have met your deductible, try to schedule any\nnecessary dental treatments before the end of the year; you\u2019ll minimize your\nown personal cost by utilizing this year\u2019s benefits without having to worry about\nnext year\u2019s deductible. Sometimes a procedure requires at least two\nappointments; in these cases, it\u2019s a good idea to pay for the first visit\nbefore the end of the year and then use your 2020 benefits to take care of the\nrest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you follow these tips and stay proactive with your dental\ncare, you\u2019ll get your money\u2019s worth out of your dental insurance while also\nkeeping your pearly whites bright and healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 About the Author<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Brad Mitchell earned his dental degree from the\nUniversity of Oklahoma and is a proud member of the Oklahoma Dental\nAssociation. His practice, Mitchell Smile Design, is in-network with Delta\nDental Insurance and can accept other plans as well. To schedule an\nappointment, visit his website<\/a> or call\n(405) 755-2670. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The new year is almost here, and your dental insurance benefits are about to reset. Unfortunately, unused benefits can\u2019t be carried over, so if you don\u2019t want to lose out on the savings they entitle you to, you\u2019ll need to start making plans to utilize them now. If you\u2019re not sure where to start, a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":234,"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232\/revisions\/234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mitchellsmiledesign.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}