The holiday season is officially here, which means your calendar will soon start to fill up with various parties, meetups, and trips, making your time become a hot commodity. If you’re like many Americans, then you probably have some dental work that needs to be completed, whether it’s a crown, filling, etc. With things starting to get busy, it’s easy to just put it off until next year, right? However, if you do this, then you’ll likely have to pay WAY more for a treatment you could get right now for much cheaper. Why? It’s all because of how your dental insurance in El Reno works. A quick trip to the dentist before 2019 won’t only ensure that you have a healthy smile for the holidays, but it will also help you save hundreds of dollars.

Why the Rush?

So why is it a good idea to get any dental work done before 2019?

If you have dental insurance, then your plan likely has something called an annual maximum, or the most money it will pay for dental care in the calendar year. Depending on your plan, this amount usually falls between $1,000 and $1,500.

The thing is, most people only use a tiny fraction of their benefits, and any leftover money does NOT rollover into next year. Whatever amount is remaining on January 1^st just goes straight back to the insurance company, and those benefits you have paid for will be instantly lost. In order to access them in 2019, you’ll have to pay your deductible again.

The Dollars & Cents of Waiting

How much money does this “Use It or Lose It” policy usually cost people? According to the American Dental Association, Americans use, on average, about $323 of their dental benefits every year…and that’s it! If an individual has an annual maximum of $1,000, that means they end up losing $677 in benefits. Multiply that for everyone who has dental insurance (about 74 million), and the country loses about $50 billion every year (this number is actually much higher when you factor in all the people who have family plans).

Go Now & Save Big

The amount of money mentioned above could easily be put towards to significantly cover any dental procedure you might need (most restorative procedures are covered 40-75% by insurance plans). By waiting until 2019 to get it, you’re not only giving your dental problem time to potentially get worse, but you’ll also end up paying more to fix it.

That’s why, before the holiday season gets into full swing, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your dentist in El Reno and take care of any outstanding dental work you need. You’ll not only ensure that your smile is ready for all the food and pictures that are inevitably coming your way, but you’ll also have the peace of mind knowing that you saved money at the same time. The holidays can put a bit of a strain on the wallet as is, so being able to save significantly on your dental care can help relieve a lot of stress while also giving you a beautiful smile.

About the Author

Dr. Christopher Faulconer is a graduate of the OU College of Dentistry and has attended advanced training courses at the prestigious Las Vegas Institute. He believes that quality dental care should always be affordable, so he’s happy to work with his patients so they can fit their needed procedures easily into their budget. To learn more about how you can use your insurance to save big at the dentist this holiday season, he can be contacted through his website.