Dental benefits typically expire at the end of the calendar year, meaning any unused benefits will not roll over and are lost forever. Fortunately, it’s not too late to take advantage of your remaining coverage.
Most dental insurance plans cover two checkups and teeth cleanings per year.
Additionally, some plans cover restorative dentistry and specific tooth replacement options, including pretreatments, such as extractions.
To learn what your insurance plan covers or how much coverage remains this year, we recommend contacting your carrier or speaking with one of our helpful dental team members for guidance. We can often help you navigate the fine print to take advantage of covered services before they expire.
Consider the following:
- Schedule a Dental Checkup in Fort Collins, CO
- Addressing Dental Health Concerns You’ve Been Avoiding
- Starting Treatment for an Ongoing Issue
- A Special Note on Current Dental Specials
Ways to Use Your End-of-Year Dental Benefits in Fort Collins, CO
There are several ways to use your dental benefits before the end of the year. Below, we share just a few tips, such as:
Schedule a Pre-Holiday Checkup and Teeth Cleaning
If you’ve only visited us once this year, your insurance will likely cover another checkup and teeth cleaning.
These twice-yearly visits help lower your risks for:
- Tooth Decay
- Tooth Infections
- Gum Disease
Tooth infections are dental emergencies requiring root canal treatment. If you’re like most of us, you don’t want to spend the holidays getting a root canal! Fortunately, a checkup allows your dentist to spot an emerging infection before it causes too much discomfort.
Gum disease is especially concerning because it can cost you your teeth, and studies now link it to severe general health complications, such as heart disease, pregnancy complications, and specific autoimmune issues.
A professional teeth cleaning can significantly reduce your risk of gum disease, and a checkup can reverse it if we catch it in the gingivitis stage. Advanced gum disease is only treatable.
Address a Lingering Dental Health Concern
Have you noticed ongoing tooth sensitivity? A mouth sore that isn’t healing? Recurring bad breath? These are all signs you should see the dentist sooner rather than later.
Tooth sensitivity can signal an emerging infection or advancing tooth decay. Recurring bad breath can also indicate infection or the onset of gum disease.
Failure to seek treatment when warranted can lead to a sudden and painful dental emergency, which can put your oral health at risk and derail your holiday plans.
Remember, self-treating dental health issues with over-the-counter pain relievers is only a temporary solution that can do more harm than good in the long term.
Start Treatment for Ongoing Care
Some dental treatments require more than one visit to complete—for example, tooth extractions followed by tooth replacement and root canal therapy.
To better stretch your yearly benefits, consider booking your consultation and initial assessment this year and completing work in the coming year. For example, if you have a broken or compromised dental crown, you can see the dentist for an assessment this month or next month, get your impressions, and use your incoming benefits to pay for the actual restoration.
Special Consideration: Take Advantage of Current Dental Specials
A dental special doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t still use your dental benefits for maximum savings; ask a dental team member to be sure.
Dental specials may change periodically, so check our current offers and take advantage of those savings before the year (or special) expires.
Contact Your Dentist in Fort Collins, CO
We accept a wide range of insurance plans and are always happy to bill these providers on your behalf. Our team also accepts financing arrangements through CareCredit.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact us today at (970) 223-5393.