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Dental insurance can save you thousands of dollars, and enable you to receive treatment that you may otherwise be unable to afford. However, it is completely worthless if you don’t use it. Dr. Dietrich wants every patient to enjoy the maximum benefits of his or her insurance coverage. Because using up your benefits is not as simple as it sounds, he is happy to work with you in scheduling procedures, and help you better understand your policy.

The seasons of insurance

The first thing that you need to know is the duration of your benefit period. For most people, it is January through December, but some policies deviate from the normal cycle. Assuming that your benefits are on an annual schedule, you lose any remaining benefits as of Dec. 31, and a new cycle begins.

As of New Year’s Day (or the first day of your benefit period), your deductible is reset. That means you will have to pay 100 percent of costs for any procedure until you have reached the total of your deductible. Some plans handle deductibles differently, so it is important to check the details of your policy. Preventive and diagnostic services may count towards the deductible, but not always.

The sky isn’t the limit

Insurance companies put restrictions and limitations on their portion of costs. Your plan might pay the full cost of diagnostics and preventive care, but it will only pay a percentage of other services, which is typically lower for major procedures. For example, your provider might pay 100 percent of a cleaning, 75 percent of a filling, and 50 percent of a crown. Additionally, some procedures are covered only if they are deemed necessary. For example, your insurance probably covers part of the cost of a crown for restoring a damaged or decayed tooth, but it probably would not pay anything on a crown placed for purely cosmetic reasons.

The most notable way that your coverage is limited is the annual cap on insurance payments. Few plans are unlimited. Your policy almost certainly includes a clause limiting the total amount that will be paid in a benefit cycle. If your teeth are healthy, this amount is probably sufficient. However, if you need extensive dental work, the total may exceed the limit, leaving you with a larger bill. This can often be avoided by spreading the treatment plan over two or more billing cycles. We may begin treatment late in the year, until your maximum has been reached, and then resume in January. Sometime multi-phase treatments can be spaced several months apart, to pace the treatment with your plan.

Maximizing insurance benefits is just one of the ways that Dr. Dietrich makes dental care affordable for residents of Dolton and surrounding communities. Call [phone] and schedule an appointment at Pleasant Dental.

Dr. Dietrich, of Pleasant Dental in Dolton, IL, is committed to providing you the best value in dentistry. Unfortunately, the cost of dental supplies, equipment, and business expenses is high. Therefore, even with the most reasonable pricing, restoring or replacing a tooth will take more than the spare change between the couch cushions. Enter dental insurance. If your employer offers a benefit plan, or you can afford to purchase one – do it. Most plans will pay a large portion of basic services, and help significantly with major procedures.

So, how do you know which plan is right for you? There are many insurance companies and types of plans, but your choices will probably limited if your employer is providing insurance. If you only have one option, take what you can get and we’ll help you make the most of it. If you are purchasing your own insurance, or your employer has given you options, comparing plans can be confusing. Here are a few of the most important points to check:

• Type – Freedom of choice plans allow you to visit any dentist that you choose, whereas managed care plans limit your choices.
• Deductible – This is the amount you must spend out-of-pocket every year before your insurance will begin paying anything. Generally, plans with higher deductibles pay a higher percentage of costs, making them a good value if you expect to have extensive dental work. If you don’t expect to spend much on dental care, it might take so long to meet the deductible that you don’t get to use your insurance much. In this case, you might be better served by a low deductible and lower percentage of insurance coverage.
• Levels – Insurance does not pay the same amount for every procedure. Procedures are usually divided into categories, such as preventive care and major services. If you have any dental work planned, check to see what category it would fall under, and which plan offers the best coverage at that level.

It is advisable to have a checkup and, if necessary, diagnostic x-rays before choosing your plan. That way, you will know exactly where you stand, what oral health problems you are facing, and what treatments you may need. Call us at [phone] and schedule your appointment today.

At Pleasant Dental, we want our patients to save on dental care. This is why our Dolton area practice helps patients make the best use of their dental insurance coverage. Many employers provide coverage for dental care, and some patients have it, but fail to use it to its full potential.

Many dental insurance plans provide coverage for preventative care, such as two appointments a year for cleanings and examinations. Patients may have to pay an initial copay but this is minor in comparison to the full cost. If patients have any issues that need to be addressed, such as cavities, root canals, or dental crowns, they may receive the services at a discounted cost due to the coverage by their insurance plan.

Dental insurance plans can be a wonderful way to help reduce the cost of preventative and restorative dental care. Most plans do not cover cosmetic dentistry, but this can often be broken down in payment plans. Dr. Dean Dietrich encourages patients to take care of the function and health of their smile before considering cosmetic work.

Dental insurance plans will often cover partial or full cost of preventative care and restorations, which may include:

Cleanings and examinations
X-rays
Periodontal disease treatment
Fillings for cavities
Dental crowns and bridges
Dentures
Inlays and onlays

Patients with dental insurance coverage are encouraged to contact their provider to find out what percent of other treatments are covered by their insurance plan.

If you want to save on dental care, now is the time to learn about the advantages of dental insurance coverage. Contact the team of Pleasant Dental today to book an appointment with Dr. Dean Dietrich and find out how dental insurance coverage can reduce your overall dental care costs. We want our patients to have access to financial assistance whenever possible, and if patients do not have dental insurance coverage, or access to it, we may be able to provide financing and payment plans that suit their budget. Contact us now to learn more.

Dr. Dean Dietrich of the Dolton, IL area is a top dentist in the community who highly recommends dental insurance as a way of obtaining savings on dental care. His practice encourages individuals to consider the benefits of dental insurance and think about how it can be used to prevent oral health care issues down the road.

Dental insurance is often an afterthought. Some patients have paid into a dental insurance plan through their job but have not been taking advantage of the benefits. This is like throwing money away. The payments made on dental insurance often cover many treatments fully, including six-month examinations, x-rays, and cleanings. When patients do not use their dental insurance for checkups, the money they invested is wasted.

At the practice of Pleasant Dental, we want our patients to understand that using dental insurance is one of the best ways of maintaining a healthier smile. Patients may need to pay a small copay when they visit for their recall appointments, but the savings overall are tremendous. Using dental insurance allows individuals to reduce their costs. Dr. Dean Dietrich can provide dental care for patients who are paying with cash or credit card, but the cost out of pocket is often drastically reduced when dental insurance coverage is applied.

Dental insurance will typically cover two cleanings and examinations a year. Other treatments such as dental crowns, dentures, orthodontics, and fillings may be covered in part or full depending on the level of coverage.

If you live in the Dolton, IL area and are seeking a way of affording dental care, contact your employer to find out if dental insurance plans are available to you. They are often relatively inexpensive for families and can be used towards regular cleanings and examinations that can contribute to better dental health and wellness. Call Pleasant Dental today to book an appointment with our team and learn about the advantages of dental insurance plans and consider how they can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses for necessary treatments and services through our practice.

Dental insurances have often gone unused. This is how insurance companies make their money; individuals pay into their company for dental insurance but do not utilize it. This, in turn, results in money almost literally thrown away. Dr. Dean Dietrich of Chicago is one of the dentists in the area who wants his patients to understand how their dental insurance works to avoid letting it go to waste.

One of the best ways to cover preventative care such as cleanings and x-rays is with dental insurance. Though many patients have to pay a copay to see their dentist, the cost of the copay is often minor in comparison to the full cost of the visit. Patients can pay the copay and then never see a bill again in many instances because of the coverage they receive from their dental insurance company.

If you are paying in for dental insurance, chances are you have coverage for many preventative treatments. The policy should allow you to have cleanings and x-rays done twice a year. However, when it has been determined additional services are necessary, such as fillings or dental crowns, many of these services are covered in part by dental insurance, thus reducing out-of-pocket costs.

Dr. Dean Dietrich of Pleasant Dental wants to encourage patients to take advantage of dental insurance through their work and use the insurance as it was intended. Preventative care is one of the least expensive ways of addressing common dental issues and is often taken for granted. Additionally, if the dentist determines that other dental work is necessary, insurance can be used to reduce the overall cost. This makes dental work much more affordable for many patients in and around the Chicago area.

We work closely with patients to provide realistic quotes for dental work. We can also help patients in filing paperwork for coverage through their dental insurance company. We can guide patients through the claim process and give them a better idea of what they can expect for the cost of their treatment, offering payment plans that may help reduce the burden of dental work costs.