3 Ways to Maximize Your Child’s Dental Insurance Coverage

Your child’s dental health is important. As a parent, you want to make sure their teeth and gums remain free of decay and disease, which means visiting the dentist regularly for checkups, cleanings, and other preventive services. The cost of these visits can add up over time but if you have necessary children’s dental insurance coverage, you can maximize their benefits while taking better care of their smiles. Here are three ways to get the most out of their plan before it expires at the end of the year.

Schedule Their Second Checkup and Cleaning

Most dental insurance policies provide 80-100% coverage for two dental checkups and cleanings each year. If your child has yet to see the dentist for a second time this year, go ahead and schedule that appointment. This will come at virtually no charge to you, and it will ensure your little one enters the new year with a healthier smile that is free of cavities. By keeping this second appointment, your child’s dentist will be able to detect any problems early on and create a personalized treatment plan that may be to your child’s benefit to pursue before the end of the year.

Plan for Complex Procedures Before the End of 2021

If you take your child to the dentist and learn they need a root canal, dental crown, tooth extraction, or another more complex procedure, do not wait until 2022 to have them undergo treatment. Instead, go ahead and take care of it now while there is still time this year. The reason is that if you have met the deductible associated with their plan, the insurance company will pay more of the cost, helping you to keep more money in your pocket. If you wait until next year, your plan will renew but you’ll be required to meet your deductible again before your insurer will agree to pay more of the total cost.

Help Them Start the New Year with a Healthier Smile

It is common this time of year for children to have more access to sweets. With holidays around every corner, it seems like a sugar overload occurs from the time between Halloween and New Year’s. By getting them in for a checkup and cleaning and addressing problems before the end of the year, you can make sure they start the second half of their school year with a healthier smile. Not only will this be beneficial when it comes to keeping them in class for important instruction, but it will give them greater confidence in their appearance. While this may not be the most key component for a five- or six-year-old, it is certainly at the top of mind for a pre-teen or adolescent.

Using your child’s dental insurance coverage will also help you avoid losing thousands of dollars in unused benefits each year. Because money left behind is returned to your insurance company at midnight on December 31, you’ll be using what is rightfully yours and continuing to keep your child’s smile looking and feeling its best.

About the Author
Dr. Stephanie Lacquaniti is a dentist in Mt. Dora who has more than a decade of experience in dentistry. Completing her dental doctorate at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, she leads a team of expert professionals at Lacquaniti Dental. Helping patients of all ages, she enjoys providing personalized care to children who have young smiles that are continuously growing and developing. She and her team will provide parents with additional tips and ways to maximize dental insurance so they don’t lose valuable money and their children can continue to embrace a healthier smile. If you need help to take advantage of your child’s dental benefits, contact us today or call (352) 383-8121.