It’s that time of the year! Kids are flooding back to school but are they prepared? This is a great time to get dental and vision checkups for your children and even yourself.

Dental

Regular dental visits can help your children have good oral health now but also set them up for success in the future. Beyond teaching them the value of good oral health, it can help catch tooth decay or oral diseases early possibly preventing things from getting worse and more costly.

So how often should your children, and yourself, visit the dentist? Unless instructed for more frequent visits by your dentist, you should see your dentist twice a year for a routine cleaning an examination.

What does my insurance cover? Typically, dental insurances will cover cleanings and exams twice a year (every six months). If you have dental insurance, it is always best to look online or call them prior to scheduling a visit to make sure your dentist is in-network and you or your dependent are eligible for a specific service at that time. This is also a good time to ask any questions regarding coverage that you may have.

Vision

It may not cross your mind, but annual vision checkups are important for all ages because of how vision can change over time. Vision exams are especially important in children because of how it can impact their development. From something as simple as near or farsightedness impacting their ability to see something in the classroom to a lazy eye impacting depth perception.

So how often should your children, and yourself, visit the eye doctor? If no vision correction is needed from your last eye exam, it is recommended to get an exam at least once every two years. If you or your children need glasses or contact lenses, it is recommended that you have an eye exam once a year.

What does my insurance cover? Typically, vision insurances will cover an exam once a year at a copay. If glasses or contact lenses are needed, then those will tend to have different copays or allowances. If you have vision insurance, it is always best to look online or call them prior to scheduling a visit to make sure the eye doctor and their office is in-network and that you or your dependent are eligible for a specific service at that time. This is also a good time to ask any questions regarding coverage that you may have.