The instant that 2019 becomes 2020, more than 100 billion dollars in dental insurance benefits will be lost. This is a fact that affects millions of people every year, but is hardly known. To make sure you don’t contribute to this statistic, let’s talk about how you can avoid losing money in dental insurance benefits before 2020.
Use It or Lose It
Most dental insurance plans operate on a “use it or lose it” type of plan. This means that if you don’t meet your annual maximum, all the leftover funds do NOT roll over into the next year. Your annual maximum is the highest dollar amount that your insurance plan will cover your care in the calendar year. For most dental insurance plans, this is around $1,000.
Here’s a not-so-fun fact: only about 3% of people with dental insurance ever end up meeting their annual maximum. That means 97% of people lose money! Let’s look at a couple ways to keep you from being a part of that 97%.
Get a Second Checkup and Cleaning
Even though the American Dental Association recommends that you get two checkups and cleanings a year, most people only get one, if any. This is detrimental to your oral health, as well as your wallet. These biannual appointments allow your dentist to keep your smile clean and healthy, as well as diagnose small problems early enough that they’re still easy to treat.
Your dental insurance plan usually focuses more on prevention than treating larger issues, so it’s best to put a stop to problems like cavities before they become bigger problems like root canals or tooth extractions. Your insurance also likely covers these appointments close to 100%.
Get Any Needed Dental Work Done
Your plan has something called a deductible, which is the amount you must pay out-of-pocket before the insurance company steps in and starts paying for your care. Deductibles for dental insurance are pretty low and therefore easy to meet. However, just like your annual maximum, your deductible does NOT roll over into the next year.
This means that once you’ve met your deductible, you will pay significantly less out-of-pocket costs for your care. If you have any dental work that you need to get, like a filling or a crown, now is the perfect time of year to get it taken care of. You will likely pay next to nothing for it!
As you can see, end of year dental insurance is no joke. Make sure to schedule any needed appointments before 2020 arrives so you don’t lose any money!
About the Author
Dr. Vince Fava has a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Toronto, and now practices at Torbram Dental in Brampton, ON. His practice will work with you to file your insurance claims, so you don’t have to spend a cent more than you have to. To learn more, click here or call 905-792-7163.
Simrit has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She started her career with Assisting/Treatment co-ordinating and then moved on to becoming the Hygiene Co Ordinator in 2005. In 2012 she took on a new role as the Marketing Director. Though she loved being the Marketing Director, in 2015 she became the Office Manager of Torbram Dental. She completed her Level 1 Dental Assisting program with Career Canada in 1996 and then went on to complete her Level II Dental Assisting Diploma with Southwestern Medix in 1999. That is when she received NDAEB Certification. Simrit has been and still is an active member of the Ontario Dental Assistants Association since 2000. She enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband and two kids and loves to explore new restaurants, especially high-tea venues.
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Jessica, one of our receptionists, is one of the smiling faces you see when you arrive at the office. She graduated with honours from Medix College with a diploma as a Level 2 Dental Assistant. When she is not happily helping our patients, Jessica enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, going to church on Sunday mornings, gardening and going on hikes.
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Naudia has been working at Torbram Dental for many years and is a valued member of our administrative team: as a dental receptionist and in our marketing team . She graduated from Everest College with honours level 1 and 2, with a diploma in Dental Assisting. Naudia is always there for our patients, making sure that they receive the care and attention they deserve. When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking and indulging in civil court TV shows.
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Ramandeep has been a part of Torbram Dental for the past 10 years as certified dental assistant. She obtained her level 1 certification from Everest college in Brampton in 2013, and then her level 2 certification in 2014 from Medix college. Her career path through the clinic has been recognized by staff at all levels who admire her work ethic and dedication to million dollar smiles. In her spare time, Ramandeep enjoys cooking and gardening, and spending time with her husband and 2 kids.
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Sana is a valued member of our dental hygiene team. In 2008 she completed her education at George Brown in Dental Assisting and in 2016 she earned her diploma in Dental Hygiene from the Canadian Academy of Dental Health and Sciences. Sana has been working in dentistry since 2008 and enjoys taking care of our patients and helping them with their oral health. She is married and is busy with her 2 young children. In her spare time, Sana enjoys going out with the family, trying out new places to eat and is looking forward to travelling with them in the future.
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Sanaria has been working at Torbram Dental for many years as a valued member of our Dental Assisting Team. She completed her level 2 dental assisting certification and previously obtained a degree in Education and worked as a quality control officer in the pharmaceutical industry. When not at work Sanaria loves to bake and cook. She also loves story time and enjoying the outdoors with her children. She always sees the positive side of life, believes that nothing is impossible and that if you set a goal and work at it, that you will make your dreams come true.
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Carrie has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She graduated from George Brown College in 1998 with a Dental Assistant Diploma and continued to further her education by completing a Dental Hygiene Diploma in 2001 at Durham College. Carrie is a highly trained and experienced Registered Dental Hygienist who continues to learn and grow by updating her knowledge to provide her clients with the best Oral Health Care techniques and information. Carrie is passionate about Dentistry and is known for her gentle and compassionate manner. She feels strongly about building lasting relationships and trust with her clients to help them understand that good Oral Health leads to good Overall Health. Carrie enjoys travelling, dabbling in decorating and a good Netflix series in her time off. Carrie resides in Halton Hills with her husband and two children.
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Daniela's interest in Dentistry began in Gr.6 when she wrote a speech entitled "My Life as a Toothbrush".
A Registered Dental Hygienist with 22 years of clinical experience, Daniela still has a great passion for her career. The most rewarding aspect for her is building lasting relationships with her patients, and seeing them through to a healthier smile.
Her thorough yet gentle touch will ensure a comfortable visit every time.
Daniela is a total Foodie and loves to cook and enjoys all types of cuisines. She loves Florida, Cruises, organizing things, and most of all spending time with family and friends.
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Stephanie Enjoys getting to know all new patients at Torbram Dental and catching up with long standing Patients. Stephanie enjoys spending quality time with her family. One of her favorite things to do with her daughter is teach and play the piano. Stephanie likes going on walks with her husband and enjoys spending as much time with him as he is an Active Member of the Canadian Army. On Sundays, Stephanie enjoys going to Church and looks forward to Sunday Dinner with her entire family. Stephanie's Favorite thing to do to start her day right is head to her local Starbucks and Grab her favorite drink, an iced black tea with light lemonade on warm days and a blonde vanilla latte on those cold winter days.
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