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If you have traditional dental insurance, every month you pay into a premium or have it held back from your paycheck. Those funds go into your policy, which then cover routine therapies and preventative care.

But if you don’t use them, you lose them – every January 1st.

Even if you have allowed, 100% covered procedures like dental cleanings, not scheduling your routine dental checkups means that the money you put into your policy is no longer available once the calendar turns over. Everything re-sets.

This might not seem like that big of a deal, but if you’re experiencing dental problems it can be. For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease but you want to wait until after the holidays to start treatment or see a cosmetic dentist (Conroe), you’ve lost your annual allowance for the year and then move into the maximum that they’ll cover for the next year. Basically, any funds you could have used are no longer accessible.

Instead, it’s better to start your care right away before your yearly “annual maximum” expires. That’s the amount your dental insurance will pay towards therapeutic and restorative treatments like gum disease care or dental implants. The earlier therapies are initiated, the more proactive they can be (further reducing your overall cost of care.) And then for treatments that do need to wait until the next calendar year, you can go back and apply the renewed allowance to your care costs.

Understanding What’s Covered

One of the things our treatment coordinators do is arrange a detailed care plan for each of our patients. So, if you’re getting same day dental implants or a tooth extraction (Conroe), you’re able to know what’s expected to be covered by your dental insurance policy and any percentages that you’re responsible for out of pocket. We can verify your coverage in advance, so that you have an itemized breakdown to look over and discuss well before starting your treatment.

When you need dental care over the holidays or before the end of the year, this is even more important! Knowing what funds you’re still able to use and which ones re-set can help you plan your necessary care in a way that’s financially beneficial to your budget.

What if Insurance Doesn’t Cover Everything?

We can try to arrange it so that some procedures are started at the end of the year, and others are completed at the beginning of the next calendar year; that way, you can maximize your coverage and enjoy a healthier smile in less time.

But if insurance doesn’t cover the treatment you need, you can easily arrange to finance the rest at 0% or low interest through CareCredit or Lending Club. These dental payment plans let you get started on your care right away but you can make low monthly payments until your balance is gone.

If your oral health needs attention, or you’ve been thinking about seeing a gum specialist / cosmetic dentist in Conroe, schedule your first consultation with us in The Woodlands today!