iStock_000020505277XSmallDental benefits make us do weird things. No, seriously. Because most dental benefits have a certain amount that they’ll allow each year, patients feel like they need to wait.

“I know I need a crown replaced on the upper right, but what happens if I break a tooth on some popcorn? Maybe I’ll just wait until the end of the year so I know I’ll have my dental benefits left then.”

Since Christmas is 6 months away today, here’s an gift to you. Four reasons why you shouldn’t wait until the end of the year to have your dental work done.

  • Most dental problems don’t get better on their own: It’s human nature to think maybe if we ignore the problem, it will get better. Acting like it’s no big deal that you can’t eat ice cream without almost crying doesn’t fix the problem. Also, broken fillings don’t miraculously replace themselves. You need to get these things taken care of.
  • Summer is pretty leisurely around here: Right now, we’ve got time for you. Lots of people are vacationing and spending time up north. So this dental office is more flexible with appointment times than we are from about October until the end of the year.
  • Most dental benefits are “use it or lose it”: Dental benefit companies understand human nature much better than regular folks. By only allowing a certain amount of benefit per year, they encourage you to wait on treatment. Because, you never know… “Maybe if I just get by until November I can be sure I won’t have an expensive dental emergency that I didn’t plan for.” So, a certain percentage of folks with dental benefits will wait. And some of them just keep waiting. The dental benefit companies love this, because they’ve already been paid their premium, and if you don’t end up using your benefits for the year because you’re waiting…they win!
  • We’re going to be closed between Christmas and New Year: Our office has prided itself on being open through the holidays for years. In fact, I even wrote a poem about it a couple years ago. We’ve been planning and working really hard on our new office this year, so we’re taking some time off in December. Which means our “end of the year rush” time just got shorter. It’s going to be a lot less likely that we can accomodate last minute “I need to use my benefits up” rush this year.

Jingle BellWhat I’m saying is…let’s take care of your dental stuff now. If it makes you feel any better I’ll wear a red and white hat and play holiday music.

Did you find this post merry? Did it make you think of jingle bells and holly? I’d love to hear about it! You can share any Mead Family Dental post with a “Like” on Facebook, a “+1″ on Google+ or you can even “Tweet” it with Twitter! All you need to do is hover over the heart shaped button next to the title of the post. Or you can leave a comment by clicking on the balloon shaped icon next to the title.

If you’re looking for a dentist in Saginaw, we’re always happy to accept new patients! You can request an appointment online or call the office at (989) 799-9133. And, as always, you can email me at alan@meadfamilydental.com. I always answer my own emails!