3 Positives To Your Dental Insurance Calendar Year Running Out

The dental year is quickly winding down. You may have insurance benefits you have not used. Whether you were holding onto them because you didn’t want to waste them in the event of a dental emergency, or you just haven’t thought about the fantastic benefit of having dental insurance lately, “You have now come upon a great opportunity,” says Periodontist Dr.Rice.

During this time, you may now be able to take advantage of getting laser surgery for periodontal disease and the insurance benefits can be spread out over two insurance years. Periodontal disease can impact not only your gums and teeth, but it can also negatively impact your entire body.

Dental insurance can also be used to fix and restore your smile. If your gums have receded due to periodontal disease, gum-contouring procedures can many times reshape your gums to allow your teeth to be more even and to enhance your smile. While this procedure may sound cosmetic in nature, lower gums can increase the risk of teeth becoming loose and it may eventually lead to tooth loss.

Fixing missing teeth can improve the overall look of your smile and make a huge difference in the first impression you present. While periodontists work with your gums Dr. Denine Rice is able to also help improve your smile by working on improving the strength of your jawbone to ensure it can hold any dental implants needed to fix missing teeth.

For more information on procedures to improve your smile, contact Dr. Rice & her team today!

It's That Time Of Year!

It's that time of year again, when you can either enjoy the insurance benefits you have already paid for or watch those same benefits disappear. Time is ticking on, and the holidays are around the corner.  Spend your dental insurance dollars before the clock runs out, as once the New Year is here, the benefits you have acquired to use for the year will most likely be gone.

You may wonder why would go to the periodontist. You may even tell yourself it is not time for your yearly periodontal check, or that your teeth look fine. But Dr. Rice suggests, “You can also utilize your dental benefits for procedures that can improve the health of your smile.” Remember, most dental benefits do not roll over to be applied to the next year.

If you have periodontal disease, but have been putting off laser surgery, now is the time to take advantage of your insurance so you can regain your self-confidence and your smile.   Laser surgery can remove plaque from below the gum line in order to decrease the impact of periodontal disease and lesson the likelihood of loosing a tooth. And it does all that without cutting the tissue, which means healing begins immediately.

For more information on how you can utilize your dental insurance to your advantage contact Dr. DenineRice and her team today.

Dental Insurance & What That Means For You

Have you recently started a new job where they offer dental insurance, or do you have a flex spending account? Now that the New Year has rolled around you may be asked if you want to make changes to your dental plan.  But the amount of information that insurance plans throw at you can make it very difficult to navigate your way through. "While each plan is a little different, here are some in’s and out’s of dental insurance," Dr. Denine Rice.

You are usually given an amount of money that you will need to spend out of pocket for certain services. They may also limit the amount of times you can have a particular procedure conducted. For example, routine cleanings are usually done twice a year. If your dentist recommends you come in a third time for a more extensive hygiene, it may not be covered. “Dental plans also typically reimburse your dentist based on a class of service,” says Periodontist Dr. Denine Rice.

For example, Class one is typically your diagnostic and preventative procedures. These cover your hygiene visits and x-rays. While class two services are typically your restorative procedures such as fillings. Class three is more extensive restorative work and usually is crowns, bridges and dentures. Class four is reserved for orthodontics and procedures such as this. It may allow for an amount to be used to cover long-term treatments. This class is not a guarantee on insurance plans, and therefore, when determining which insurance is right for you, this may be something to consider.

Dental insurance companies have an overall amount that they set aside to pay for dental procedures. At the beginning of the year your new insurance amount should be ready for you to use. If you have further questions about your specific dental insurance plan or a procedure that has been recommended by Dr. Rice and her team please contact them for further specific information.

End of Year

The end of the insurance year is fast approaching, so Dr. DenineRice suggests taking advantage. Has Dr. Rice recommended a treatment that you haven't taken care of yet? Or have you been dragging your feet on laser periodontal surgery? Now is the perfect time to get these things done, now before your dental insurance benefits are lost.

 

Insurance companies award you a certain amount of money each year. If you do not use the money you loose the amount.  Once the year is over any money not used for dental treatment goes back to the insurance company. However, you already paid for this money by paying your monthly premium.  And while you may believe that your dental insurance will cover you when you get around to that appointment, putting treatment off not only decreases the overall health of your smile, but you may be lose money and options if your dental insurance benefits change the following year for some reason out of your control.

Waiting to complete recommended procedures can cause more damage. If you have a periodontal infection the only way to treat is to remove the bacteria in the mouth. Otherwise, the infection can spread not only to other teeth but around your body, causing damage to other body parts.  In the end,  waiting for a treatment can end up costing you a significant amount of money, time and your overall health.

Every month you and perhaps your employer pay for these benefits. Dr. Rice suggests you take advantage of this special opportunity to increase the health of your gums.