As summer winds down, it may feel like there is still plenty of time left in the year—but when it comes to your dental insurance benefits, now is the time to start planning ahead.

At Saving Smiles Dentistry, we want to help you make the most of the dental benefits you have available before the end of the year. Serving patients throughout Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, and the surrounding communities, Dr. Johnson, Dr. Kenny, and Dr. Ensrude are dedicated to helping patients understand their dental needs, make the most of their available benefits, and complete recommended care before the end of the year.

For many dental insurance plans, your benefits reset on January 1st. That means any unused benefits you have remaining at the end of the year may expire on December 31st and won’t roll over into the new year.

What Does That Mean for You?

If you have dental benefits available, they are there to help make your dental care more affordable. Depending on your plan, you may have benefits available for preventive care, fillings, crowns, periodontal treatment, or other necessary dental procedures.

If you have already been diagnosed with treatment that you have been putting off, waiting until December could mean missing your opportunity to use this year’s benefits.

And there’s another reason not to wait….

December Gets Busy—Fast!

The end of the year is one of the busiest times in dental offices. As patients realize their benefits are expiring, appointment requests increase and available appointments can become limited.

Waiting until December to schedule could make it more difficult to find a convenient appointment that works with your schedule.

Some dental treatment may also require multiple appointments, so scheduling sooner gives you more time to complete your recommended treatment before your benefits reset.

The best time to schedule isn’t December—it’s now.

Don’t Forget About Your HSA or FSA Funds

Do you have money remaining in a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA)? Depending on your specific plan and applicable guidelines, these funds may be used toward eligible out-of-pocket dental expenses.

If you have money remaining in an FSA or HSA, now is a great time to check your balance and see how those funds could help with your dental care.

Your dental insurance benefits, combined with eligible HSA or FSA funds, may help make completing your recommended treatment more manageable.

HSA and FSA rules vary, so we recommend checking with your plan administrator or benefits provider to confirm which expenses are eligible and whether your funds expire or carry over.

Used All of Your Benefits for the Year?

That doesn’t mean you should put off the dental care you need.

We understand that insurance benefits are only one part of making dental care fit into your budget. Even if you’ve already used all of your dental benefits for the year, there may still be options available to help make recommended treatment more manageable.

Putting off recommended dental treatment can sometimes allow a dental concern to progress and may result in more extensive treatment down the road. Taking care of your oral health now can help prevent a small concern from becoming a bigger one.

If Saving Smiles Dentistry is in-network with your insurance plan, you may still receive your insurance plan’s negotiated discount on treatment even after you’ve reached your annual benefit maximum.

If we are out-of-network with your insurance plan and you’ve used all of your benefits, we also offer our Saving Smiles Plan. For a $49 annual enrollment fee, members receive 15% off eligible treatment when payment is made on the day of service.

We also offer financing options through Cherry and CareCredit, which may allow you to spread the cost of eligible treatment into manageable monthly payments. Learn more about our financing options here. 

Our goal is to help you find a way to receive the care you need—not to have cost keep you from taking care of your smile. If you’re unsure what options are available to you, our team is happy to discuss them with you.

Make the Most of Your Dental Benefits

If you have an upcoming cleaning due, have treatment you’ve been putting off, or simply aren’t sure what dental benefits you have remaining, the team at Saving Smiles Dentistry is here to help.

Our team can help you understand what treatment is recommended and review your available insurance benefits so you can make informed decisions about your dental care.

Whether you have benefits remaining, have already reached your annual maximum, or don’t have dental insurance at all, you don’t have to wait until the end of the year to take care of your smile.

Don’t Wait Until the End of the Year!

Take a few minutes now to look at your dental insurance benefits and HSA/FSA balance. If you have benefits or eligible funds remaining, put them to work for your smile before they expire.

And if you’ve already used your benefits, don’t let that stop you from scheduling the care you need. Our team can help you explore available savings and financing options.

Scheduling early gives you more options for appointment times and allows you to complete recommended treatment before the end-of-year rush.

Schedule your appointment today so you have the best chance of getting the appointment time you want and making the most of your available benefits.