{"id":444,"date":"2018-10-07T20:58:07","date_gmt":"2018-10-07T20:58:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=444"},"modified":"2025-02-20T18:36:46","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T18:36:46","slug":"what-should-use-your-dental-insurance-before-too-late","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longfamilydental.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/07\/what-should-use-your-dental-insurance-before-too-late\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Use Your Dental Insurance Before It\u2019s Too Late"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/a>If you\u2019ve paid for dental insurance, it\u2019s likely that you haven\u2019t maxed out your annual maximum. You may not even be sure what your maximum is. After all, most people don\u2019t think about when their last dental appointment was. But do you know who does remember? The dental insurance company you bought the plan from.<\/p>\n

People are quite surprised when they find out how much of the money they paid into dental insurance<\/a> goes to waste. With the end of the year coming up, it\u2019s time you took a second look at your benefits before they expire.<\/p>\n

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Use It Or Lose It!<\/h2>\n

According to a study conducted by the American Dental Association, Americans use an average amount of $323 every year. However, a typical plan usually allows for an annual maximum of $1,250, leaving $927 worth of dental benefits left unused. Out of the 164 million people who have dental insurance, that\u2019s potentially $152 billion in dental insurance benefits going unused and directly back to the insurance company that sold it to them.<\/p>\n

The reason we talk about dental insurance now is that most plans typically expire at the end of the year, specifically on January 1st. Instead of letting your plan expire and giving the benefits you paid for away, it\u2019s time you looked over your plan and asked a dentist what treatments you can get now.<\/p>\n

How to Maximize Your Benefits Now and Next Year<\/h2>\n

A great place to start learning about your dental benefits (other than calling your insurance company directly) is at the dental office. Most practices have people on staff who specifically handle your insurance. They take insurance on a regular basis, therefore are used to the all the nuances that dental insurance plans contain.<\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve learned what your dental benefits are, create a treatment plan that includes all the services you need. These may include:<\/p>\n