Insurance & benefits
Use Your Dental Benefits Before December 31
Most dental plans reset on January 1. Any unused annual maximum, and in most cases any remaining FSA dollars, do not carry over — you simply lose them.
What Resets on January 1
Dental coverage is not like medical coverage — most of it runs on a calendar year and does not roll forward. Four things typically reset:
Your annual maximum
The cap your plan pays per calendar year — commonly $1,000–$2,000. Whatever you have not used by December 31 is generally gone on January 1.
Your deductible
If you have already met this year's deductible, treatment completed before December 31 is settled against it. In January you start paying it again.
FSA dollars
Flexible Spending Account funds are use-it-or-lose-it in most plans. Some employers allow a small carryover or a short grace period — check your plan documents.
Remaining frequency allowances
Many plans allow a set number of covered cleanings, exams and X-rays per year. Unused visits do not accumulate.
Three Steps Before the Deadline
December fills up quickly, and any treatment involving our on-site lab needs to be scheduled with turnaround time in mind. Earlier in the quarter is easier for everyone.
1. Find out what is left
Call us at (949) 360-9700 with your insurance card and we will verify your remaining benefits for you — you do not need to call your carrier yourself.
2. Book the visit while dates are open
Treatment has to be completed — not just scheduled — before December 31 to be claimed against this year's maximum. October and November have far more availability than late December.
3. Plan the balance, if there is one
If your treatment runs past what your plan covers, we can sequence part of it into January against the new maximum, or set you up with a payment option.
Treatment must be completed on or before December 31 to count against this year's maximum. Our last scheduling week in December fills early — call (949) 360-9700 to check availability.
Check Your Remaining Benefits
Call (949) 360-9700 or request a time below — we will verify what your plan has left before your visit.
Book by phone or online
We're updating our online form. In the meantime the fastest way to get seen is to call us or book on Zocdoc — both reach us the same day.
Hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM. For an emergency outside these hours, go to your nearest emergency room.
Year-End Benefits FAQs
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