Dental insurance benefits are a useful tool for many patients to help defray the cost of dental treatment. However, with so many dental insurance companies, and different plans within plans, it can be tricky to understand your benefits and know how to make the most of them. That's why we're here to help!
Dental Insurance 101
Here are some fundamental, essential aspects of your dental plan that you should know.
When Does My Plan Renew?
Most dental insurance plans run on a calendar year, meaning that benefits start in January and end on December 31st. However, a few plans begin in July or other months. So, the first step in understanding your dental benefits is to determine when your benefits start and end.
What Is My Yearly Maximum?
Next, you'll want to determine the yearly maximum of your benefit. The annual maximum refers to the amount of money your plan will pay towards treatment during the year. Most plans have a yearly maximum of somewhere between $1000 to $2000.
Do I Have a Deductible?
You will also want to know if your plan has a deductible. This would be an amount, say $500, that you would have to cover first before your plan would make any payments towards treatment.
Do I Have a Waiting Period?
Some dental plans also have waiting periods for major treatment like a root canal or crown. It's important to know if you have waiting periods, especially if you find yourself with a problematic tooth that needs treatment immediately.
Understanding Dental Networks
Most plans have dentists within their networks who have agreed to abide by specific fees the insurance will pay for treatment procedures.
Dental Care of Corona is in-network with plans, such as:
- Aetna
- Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Delta Dental
- Guardian
- Humana
- MetLife
- Principal
- United Concordia
- United Healthcare
If your plan is not listed here, it doesn't mean that you can't work with our dentists. It just means that the amount your insurance will pay may differ for an out-of-network dentist.
Contact Dental Care of Corona
As you can see, dental insurance has a lot to understand. Your Dental Care of Corona team is happy to help you understand and navigate your dental benefits. Call us at (951) 268-9858 if you have questions about your dental insurance.