Start planning now for when to use your dental benefits It’s January and I bet you can’t recall when or what you used your dental benefits for last year! Now is the time for making resolutions and looking ahead at what’s in store for 2016. This year, make a plan for how your family will most effectively use its dental benefits. Remember – if you don’t use them, you lose them. Know your plan details. Before you begin planning, get up to speed on your plan’s deductible and annual maximum. Your deductible is the amount you must pay before expenses are covered by your dental benefits plan, up to your plan’s annual maximum. Knowing these amounts will help you plan your family’s needed dental work beyond checkups and cleanings. Schedule exams now. The key to successfully using your dental benefits is to take advantage of what’s covered. Preventive care, like checkups and cleanings, is usually covered by your plan and typically isn’t applied to your plan’s deductible. Be sure to get your family’s appointments on the calendar now to make sure everyone visits the dentist to help prevent cavities this year. Use a health savings account for dental expenses. During the insurance open enrollment period, you may have selected a health savings account. This account lets you pay for qualifying out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses tax-free, and it never expires. It’s an easy way to save money for your family in 2016.