Use Your Dental Benefits Before They Reset: A Year-End Guide for Five Forks and Simpsonville Patients
If you have dental insurance, the end of the year is a good time to see what you have left. Many plans run on a calendar year, so benefits you haven’t used by December 31 may not carry into January. Upstate Smiles at 672 Fairview Rd. in Simpsonville is a short drive from Five Forks and Heritage Park, and our team helps patients across Simpsonville and Greenville get the most from their coverage.
This guide explains how to check your benefits, what to schedule first, and how to plan around the calendar.
Why Year-End Matters
Dental plans usually set a yearly limit on what they will pay, called the annual maximum, along with a deductible you pay before coverage begins. When your plan year resets, both start over. For many people that happens on December 31, but some plans use a different plan year, so confirm yours rather than assuming.
Waiting has a cost of its own. Small problems, such as a worn filling or a hairline crack, can grow into bigger ones, so a treatment you’ve already been advised to do is a good place to start.
Step 1: Find Out What You Have Left
Before you book, gather these details from your plan documents, your member portal or a call to your insurer:
- The date your plan year ends
- Your annual maximum and how much you’ve used
- Whether you’ve met your deductible
- What your plan covers for the treatment you need
You don’t have to do this alone. We accept and help file all insurance except Medicaid and Medicare. Our insurance filing team works to maximize your benefits, and at your appointment we help you determine the coverage you can expect. We always provide an estimate of coverage in advance and can get pre-approval for you. Details are on our Financing Options page.
Step 2: Start With Treatment You’ve Already Been Told You Need
- A cracked or heavily filled tooth: Porcelain crowns restore strength and appearance, and we offer a free porcelain crowns and veneers estimate.
- Old silver fillings: White, mercury-free fillings are a conservative replacement. See our guide to replacing old silver fillings.
- Damage too large for a filling, but not enough for a crown: Inlays and onlays are the middle ground, explained in our inlays and onlays guide.
- A missing tooth: Compare dental implants and a dental bridge in our guide to bridges vs. implants. We offer a free dental implants estimate.
- Cleanings and exams: Routine cleanings and exams usually take 45 to 60 minutes. Our guide on how often to see the dentist explains the six-month rhythm.
If something hurts or breaks, don’t wait for a benefit deadline. We work to see urgent patients the same day through our emergency dentistry care.
Step 3: Allow Time for Treatment With More Than One Visit
Some care can’t be finished in one appointment. Inlays and onlays are usually completed in two visits, and implants take several months because healing time is part of the process. Plans handle treatment that spans two plan years differently, so ask your insurer and our team how yours does. If your timeline is tight, ask us what can be started before the year ends and what needs to wait.
Our hours are Monday through Wednesday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and Thursday, 7 AM to 1 PM. We are closed Friday through Sunday. Holiday schedules can differ, so call to confirm dates around the holidays.
How Billing Works
To avoid surprises, payment is due at the time of service unless other arrangements are made in advance, and you are responsible for all fees regardless of insurance. Any balance left after your insurance pays is yours. If you want a monthly payment plan, it needs to be arranged before the procedure. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.
If You Don’t Have Insurance
About half of our patients don’t have dental insurance, and that is not a barrier to care. We offer CareCredit financing with no money down, no upfront costs, no annual fees and no pre-payment penalties, for treatment from $1 to over $25,000. The same account can cover your whole family. Learn more on our Financing Options page.
Serving Five Forks, Heritage Lakes and Simpsonville
We care for families from Five Forks, Heritage Lakes, downtown Simpsonville and the surrounding neighborhoods. See what we offer on our Simpsonville service area page and our Greenville service area page. New to our office? Our new patient page explains what to bring and what happens at a first visit, and you can read more about Dr. Bruce, our board-certified dentist.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do dental benefits reset?
Many plans reset on December 31, but plan years vary. Check your plan documents or call your insurer.
Can your team tell me what my plan covers?
Yes. We help you determine the coverage you can expect, provide an estimate in advance and can get pre-approval.
Do you accept Medicaid or Medicare?
No. We accept and help file all insurance except Medicaid and Medicare.
What if I don’t have insurance?
We offer CareCredit financing and provide estimates before treatment begins.
Can I be seen for an emergency?
We work to see urgent patients the same day during office hours.
Make a Plan Before the Calendar Runs Out
You don’t need to know exactly what you need. Tell us what you’ve been putting off, and our team will check what your plan can do, give you an estimate before treatment begins and help you fit your care into the weeks you have left. Start the new year with your treatment behind you.
Request your year-end visit or register as a new patient. You can also call (864) 962-5522.
