Many people have mentioned lately that their employers are no longer providing dental insurance. With these comments in mind, we’d like to share a few things with you that may help as your start your search for privately purchased dental insurance.

Many companies offer insurance you can purchase directly rather than through an employer. When you call to discuss available benefits, it is important to weigh the cost of what you will pay for monthly coverage versus paying for care out of pocket. For instance, would your monthly payment cost more than your routine cleaning, exam and x-rays? Are you a higher risk patient needing fillings, crowns or other dental work? If you pay more for your benefits than you receive in services, consider paying out of pocket and receiving a discount for doing so instead. Our practice does offer a discount for those who pay out of pocket. Other important question to ask the insurance agent is if there are waiting periods on the plan. A waiting period is generally a 6 month to 1 year time in which you pay monthly for your benefits, but receive coverage only on cleanings, exams and x-rays until that waiting period is over. During this time frame, fillings, root canals or crowns may not be covered, yet your monthly payment remains the same.

Insurance can be confusing! So, call an insurance agent for options and details, then call our qualified front desk team to discuss any questions you may have. We are happy to help with anything that will keep you wearing a healthy smile!

Did you know that many of you out there are not washing your hands adequately and don’t even know it? The most effective hand wash is done with warm or cold water and for a full 20 seconds. Be sure to focus on your finger tips and around your nail bed as these are great places for germs to hide. Rinse well and dry with paper towel. Use the towel to turn off the faucet in order to avoid touching a dirty handle.

Good hand washing technique is an easy and important step to avoid falling sick with the cold or flu this season. Visit the Center for Disease Control website for more information: www.cdc.gov

Since we have been in practice for so many years, we have seen and heard it all! People using their teeth for things other than biting and chewing their food. Well, we are here to clear things up. Your teeth are not meant to be used as tools. They are meant to chew and look beautiful when you smile. Many people use their teeth to open packages, tear retail tags off of clothing, and we have even heard them being used to open soda cans. Yikes! These behaviors can lead to immediate and obvious broken or chipped teeth. They can unfortunately also cause the more silent problem of micro-fractures that may not become apparent for years.

So, before you decide to chew off the tag on that new sweater you just bought, consider the risk. A scissors will do a much better job and you can keep your flawless smile!