Dental benefits reset every year. Do not leave them behind.

Reviewed by Jinyu Sun, DDS · November 12, 2026 · 4 min read

The annual maximum

Almost every dental plan sets an annual maximum, often between $1,000 and $2,000, which is the most it will pay toward your care in a plan year. Unused amounts do not roll over. If you have been putting off a crown or a filling, the end of the year is when that unused maximum quietly disappears.

The deductible

Your deductible is what you pay before the plan starts contributing to restorative work; preventive visits are usually exempt. If you have already met your deductible this year, additional treatment before December 31 costs you less than the same treatment in January, when the deductible resets.

Flexible spending accounts

FSA funds are typically use-it-or-lose-it as well. Dental treatment, including cosmetic-adjacent work like crowns and sometimes orthodontics, is an eligible expense. Check your plan's deadline; some allow a short grace period into the new year.

How to use what you have

Start with a checkup if you have not had one this year; it is almost always fully covered. If treatment has been recommended, call us and we will tell you exactly what your plan is expected to pay and what remains of your maximum. Larger treatment can sometimes be split across two plan years to use two maximums.

We verify benefits before every visit and give written estimates, so you know the numbers before you sit down.