Boise Dentist Blog
The professional blog of Doctors Dan Bruce, Steve Bruce, Rosa Pothier and Rob Ririe
How to get the most out of your dental insurance
You've heard the phrase, "if you don't use it, you lose it." This is never more true than with dental insurance. Whether you have a policy that is provided by your employer or you have a personal policy, you are paying for dental insurance every month. And unlike car insurance (where if your car is totaled you receive a new car), if your mouth has multiple problems due to wear, decay, periodontal disease, or other pathologies, your insurance will only pay up to a certain yearly maximum. This really puts dental insurance in the category of a benefit and is something that should be used yearly to take full advantage. So how do you make the most of the insurance benefit you have? From personal experience with our patients, here are some tips:
- - Get cleanings, x-rays, and examinations as recommended by your dentist. This is usually covered at a high reimbursement rate (sometimes 100%). If you are average risk for dental problems, this may mean 2 cleanings a year and 1 periodic exam. If you are above average risk, this may mean more frequent cleanings and examinations.
- - Take care of problems as they arise. This also falls in the category of preventative maintenance and can mean anything from restoring decay when it is small to having a crown placed on a cracked tooth before it breaks and needs to be extracted or have root canal treatment.
- - Read your policy when you buy it - If you have dental problems, make sure you have coverage that can adequately take care of these problems. Many patients just choose a policy, but don't know what it covers. If you have questions, we can help!
Finally, I have a few patients who admit to delaying treatment because they are "afraid" the the dentist will find something. I consider it my job to report what I find, give options and make recommendations. An option is always to do nothing, although I really consider it better to know if there is a potential problem than to have something happen when you least expect it.
As a note, our office is a preferred provider for Delta Dental, Blue Cross, and Blue Shield. We will help you process any insurance and are always available to answer questions about dental insurance as it relates to our office.