How to Get the Most out of Your Dental Insurance

Getting dental insurance is smart on a number of levels. You never quite know when an unpleasant dental surprise will hit, so having insurance can give you some peace of mind. Here are some ways to realize the maximum possible benefits from your dental insurance.

Identify the Best Dental Insurance Provider for You
There are many choices in the dental marketplace, but they are all not created equal. You should look for a provider that does not have an annual cap on benefits so expensive treatments can be covered. In addition, some providers have larger networks than others. When dental insurance has a small network, it is difficult to find the right dentist. Finally, and most importantly, you should determine the providers that cover the highest percentage of dental work because insurance is not worth much if it does not cover anything for you.

Do Your Preventative Care
Dental procedures are grouped into three categories: preventive, basic, and major. To promote healthy practices, it is common for dental insurance to cover all or most of the preventive care, some of the basic care, and a smaller portion of major procedures. Especially since it costs you little, you should make sure to do all of the preventive care. This is what saves you from having to do the major and extremely expensive work down the road. Given how much is covered, preventive work is largely just an investment of time instead of money.

Remain in Your Network
Assuming that your insurance has a large enough network, there is really no reason to go out of the network for anything. Dental insurance will pay little to nothing if you are not in their network because the provider does not have an agreement with the dentist. Using your plan doctors will get you the most possible coverage. This is when you can save the most money. If you are having procedures with little to no reimbursement, there really is no need to have dental insurance. Most dentists in a network will not send you a balance bill for what the insurance does not cover so your costs are capped at your co-pay amount.

If you have dental insurance, make sure to use it correctly in order to minimize your out-of-pocket costs. In this way, you are getting your money's worth for your insurance plan.