When it comes to dental insurance, there are a number of key terms that you should thoroughly familiarize yourself with in order to make sure that you truly understand your coverage. One such term is “waiting period.” What is a waiting period in relation to dental insurance? And what does it mean for your benefits? Below are the answers to these important questions.

What Exactly are Waiting Periods for Dental Insurance?

Put simply, a waiting period for your dental insurance is the period of time between the day you purchase your plan and the day your benefits kick in. During the waiting period, your dental insurance company will not help pay for specified kinds of dental care. Depending on your plan, a waiting period could be anywhere from 30 days to a year in length.

What is the Purpose of a Dental Insurance Waiting Period?

Waiting periods are meant to discourage patients from buying dental insurance purely to help pay for a specific procedure and then canceling it afterward. Making sure people stick to their insurance plans ultimately reduces the cost of premiums and coverage, which is good news for you as well as your insurance company.

What Can You Expect When It Comes to Dental Insurance Waiting Periods?

Many insurance plans will attach different waiting periods to different types of services. Oftentimes, there is no waiting period at all for preventive care; this means you can use your benefits to pay for routine dental checkups and cleanings right away.

Waiting periods for basic dental work are usually in the range of three to six months while waiting periods for major procedures could be as long as twelve months. You should take the time to review your plan to clarify what procedures qualify as “basic” or “major.” Remember, you can always reach out to your insurance carrier if there’s anything that you don’t completely understand.

What If You Need Dental Treatment Before the Waiting Period is Up?

Dental issues can strike at any time, and that naturally includes during your waiting period. If you need a specific type of dental care that your insurance company is not yet willing to pay for, you can talk to your dental team to see what options they offer for making the cost more manageable. In many cases, you can apply for financing from a third-party provider such as CareCredit; this allows you to pay for your care in smaller installments that won’t put as much strain on your budget.

Understanding every detail of your dental insurance plan is essential for getting the absolute most out of your benefits. If you have questions or concerns regarding waiting periods or other aspects of your plan, don’t hesitate to ask your insurance carrier or the helpful team at your dental office.

About the Practice

At Moreno & Young Dental, we make a point of giving our patients the same kind of care we would give our own families. No matter what type of treatment you require, we’ll always treat you with compassion and put your comfort first. We accept a variety of dental insurance plans as well as CareCredit financing to make paying for important dental work easier. If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment at our practice in Bellingham, you can contact us via our website or by calling (360) 676-0642.