End-of-year dental visits provide lasting benefits at Brook Trout Dental

Schedule your dental appointment now before the new year.

So recommends Dr. Brent Weinhandl, owner of Brook Trout Dental, and Melody, his wife and office manager. 

Schedule your dental appointment now before the end of the year, as most dental plans reset in January and any unused benefits are permanently lost.

“This is a great time of the year to see if there’s anything that needs to be done before the year closes out,” Melody Weinhandl explained. “Maybe you’ve only used one allotted cleaning offered by your plan and it was over six months ago. Since most insurance companies cover the cost of two cleaning visits each year, if you are not using both of them, the benefit opportunity time-wise is gone. That’s why it’s recommended you go ahead and book your six-month appointment so you don’t forget. It can always be adjusted when it is close to that date.

“One of the bigger losses is the opportunity to make maximum use of your maximum. Maximums cannot be carried over from year to year. Once the year is over, any unused portion is gone for good,” she said.

This is beneficial in that patients who might have extensive work to be done can oftentimes split the procedures between the current year and the next.

“If you have several thousand dollars of work, and still have a little left over in the current year, we recommend starting the treatment now so that the cost is divided over two insurance terms, and you don’t have the full cost burden hit you in one fell swoop. As mentioned, once you hit your insurance maximum, any work thereafter becomes the responsibility of the patient. So if you have quite a bit to do, it’s important we watch that figure together and plan the next procedures accordingly.”

What’s a maximum? Each person who is covered by a dental plan has one. Some plans, like the ones offered to many municipal workers, have a maximum of $2,000 per year per patient. But suppose a patient has 12 cavities. That maximum would cover quite a few but possibly not all of them. That’s when doing some fillings this year and some next year is like turning your plan into a $4,000 maximum.

Weinhandl also encourages individuals to check with their human resource contacts at their place of employment to ensure their benefits are indeed renewed.

“November is when most plans offer enrollment or re-enrollment,” she said. “With some insurance plans, you have to actively state that you are renewing your dental benefits because they don’t always automatically roll over from year to year without your annual consent.”

Weinhandl said patients who visit Brook Trout receive a personalized treatment plan, no matter their age or needs. Whether it’s for a routine dental exam or extensive restorative or cosmetic dental care, each patient is provided in-depth information about every step of their care, from the very beginning through completion.

“Our staff treats people the way we would want to be treated,” she said. “We take the time with the patients and provide treatment options. We definitely do not push them to high-end dentistry procedures. Yes, sometimes the only option might be a crown, but sometimes a filling will work just as well and allow the tooth to last for another 20 years. Dr. Weinhandl is a practical dentist, providing cost-effective solutions when they can feasibly do the job.” 

Weinhandl said the office has another benefit for patients, too. He’s furry and friendly and has a heart of gold.

Rocket, a 5-year-old German shepherd, works hard to provide a calming experience for patients. Weinhandl said their canine buddy, outfitted in a stylish green doggie coat, has been a four-legged hit since his first days in the office nearly five years ago.

“We have young kids coming for their first visit and regular patients who have been coming to us for years and all of them enjoy Rocket,” she said. “Sometimes he just lays at their feet during their visit. Other times he wanders the hallway looking for a little love. Of course, we ask all of our patients if they are comfortable having him around when they arrive. We have a special area for him adjacent to our office where he can rest if need be.”

For anyone interested in learning more about Brook Trout Dental, to schedule a year-end appointment or to meet Rocket, please visit brooktroutdental.com.