Dental Insurance: The Ins and Outs

Our goal is to provide you with high quality patient care in a team building relationship while delivering the best oral health care possible to our patients. Since dental insurance is offered in a variety of packages, we thought you might benefit from answers to questions we frequently hear.

 

What do I receive for services at your office?

  • Our office offers preventative services, such as cleanings and digital x-rays. We also offer more extensive services like fillings, crowns and bridges, implants, and dentures.

 

How do I obtain dental insurance?

  • While dental insurance for some is an employee benefit, for others it may be an individually purchased dental plan.
  • Benefits are determined based on the coverage purchased, by either the employer or employee.
  • Most dental plans follow what is known as the 100%, 80%, 50% model that corresponds to three types of procedures. Please keep in mind that the following are general rules and that each policy could be different.

Type 1 Diagnostic/Preventative – routine dental cleanings, exams, x-rays, oral cancer screenings, sealants, and fluoride treatments. Many dental insurance plans cover close to 100% of costs associated with Type 1 procedures.

Type 2 Basic/Restorative – composite restorations (white fillings), root canals, extractions, periodontal cleanings, and periodontal root debridements (treating periodontal disease). Many dental insurance plans cover close to 80% of costs associated with Type 2 procedures.

Type 3 Major – crowns, crown buildups, bridges, implant crowns, and dentures. Many dental insurance plans cover close to 50% of costs associated with Type 3 procedures.

 

What does my plan cover?

  • It’s important to check your individual dental coverage before having dental services rendered. Many dental insurance companies have exclusions, waiting periods, and annual or bi-annual dental maximums along with varying deductibles and co-pays.

 

Do I have dental insurance benefits left for this year?

  • Ask our front office team to assist you in finding out what your remaining individual benefits are.

 

Will I lose those benefits if I don’t utilize them?

  • Yes and no. With some plans, you will lose your dental benefits if you don’t use them by year end while other plans have a small rollover feature. We can help you find the specifics for your policy.

 

If you still have questions related to dental insurance, please give us a call at 207-781-5900 and our office staff will assist you in any way we can.

Happy New Year!

happy new yearIt wouldn’t be January without New Year’s Resolutions.

It is said that the concept of a New Year’s Resolution dates all the way back to the Babylonians. The custom originated as a gesture involving “moral favors” which were essentially personal promises to be good to others – the purpose was mostly to please God. It eventually evolved into dedicating time to reflect upon the previous year, and to contemplate the year to come. The goal, once again, was to make better use of personal talents to please God, treat people well, and to avoid habitual sins in the future.

Pretty cool stuff, and it seems pretty similar to the New Year’s Resolutions that we make today. We resolve each year to better ourselves in at least one important aspect of life – physical health, mental health, spiritual health, personal finance, family life etc. But if these resolutions are so important, then why do so many people seemingly fail?

It is believed that one of the main reasons is because we are too secretive. We don’t tell others what our resolutions are, and instead we bottle it up and keep it to ourselves. Now, some resolutions can certainly be personal and you might want to keep them to yourself. However, if you share your New Year’s Resolution and make it well known to family and friends, then you are much more likely to stick with it because they will help hold you accountable.

That is where we come in! In 2014 you should make your smile a priority. Whether it is committing to coming in religiously for all of your scheduled regular cleanings, or getting those veneers or that invisilign that you have always wanted to finish off that perfect smile…2014 is your year and we are here to help you every step of the way. Light up a room this year with your brilliant smile.

Call our office to set up an appointment today!

 

 

Source: http://billpetro.com/history-of-new-years-resolutions