Congratulations, you’ve landed a job with dental benefits! Dental benefits are a significant reason that people seek full-time employment. Dental work is an expensive service, and those that have access to workplace insurance should take full advantage of the lowered costs for dental checkups and exams. The importance of getting bi-annual checkups is important to prevent cavities, root canals and periodontal disease. Unfortunately, many people ignore entirely going to the dentist and therefore, do not even use their benefits. If this applies to you, here are a few reasons why you should use your dental benefits before the end of the year.

Try to Use All of The Money Given to You

If you do not use the insurance money given to you for dental work, it will not carry over into the next calendar year. This means that if you got hired full-time in August and got your benefits in November, you will have two months to use your dental benefits before the yearly maximum benefit resets. To put it, if you do not use your dental benefits before December 31st of each year, you are essentially wasting that money, and it will not be added on to next year’s coverage.

Dental Problems Don’t Just Go Away; Get Help Today

People with dental coverage are already aware that they have dental coverage, and they may already be aware that if they do not use the dental coverage, it will go to waste. Unfortunately, the dentist seems to be an undesirable place to visit, even as an adult. The longer that people hold off on routine checkups, the less likely they are to attend due to their prolonged absence. Oral health concerns and dental pain doesn’t just go away; the longer that you ignore the dentist, the more likely it is that your oral health concern worsens. If you’re already covered through insurance, you owe it to yourself to use your benefits.

Many Don’t Know What They’re Covered For

Individuals that haven’t visited the dentist in a long time are more prone to experiencing pain and discomfort. When they eventually visit the dentist, they may find out that they need a filling, a crown, a tooth removed, or even a mouthguard to prevent nighttime grinding. Most, if not all, of the options mentioned above, are covered through insurance plans, and typically, the insurance plan will cover up to 80% of the costs.

What does this mean if you wait to use your insurance? Well, say you need a mouthguard, a filling and a tooth extraction; the costs will add up, and you may not have enough insurance coverage to take care of all those needs. If you had visited the dentist at the first sign of trouble, you would have had enough coverage to take care of all your oral concerns.

If you are lucky enough to have dental coverage, ensure that you don’t squander it! You only get one set of teeth, so be sure to take care of them and enjoy a bright and healthy smile for the rest of your life.