Empire State Today

Sally Pokorney, Practice Administrator at Babylon Dental Care, said that many patients are unaware that unused benefits expire at the end of the year, and their 'Use It or Lose It' program aims to raise awareness to prevent it.

"Many patients may not understand that their benefits exhaust at the end of the year - that's when ‘Use it or Lose it' comes in," said Pokorney. "If you have $2000 in benefits and you haven't used any of it, you basically lost $2000 that could have gone towards dental care."

In the United States, millions of people are enrolled in health and dental insurance programs, yet many are unaware of the full extent of their benefits. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a survey found that 42% of Americans did not fully understand their health insurance coverage, including deductibles and co-pays. This lack of awareness often leads to unused benefits, especially in dental insurance, where many patients miss out on opportunities to maximize their yearly coverage.

Pokorney explained that Babylon Dental Care’s "Use It or Lose It" program helps patients make the most of their insurance benefits. Any unused dental insurance benefits will be lost after December 31st. "It's really a matter of putting a little urgency on it for the patient, so that they can get the [dental] work done with the least out-of-pocket expense as possible."

The issue of unclaimed insurance benefits is widespread. According to the American Dental Association, in 2019, dental insurance companies reported that nearly $150 billion in dental benefits went unused across the United States. This financial loss underscores the importance of initiatives like Babylon Dental Care’s program, which encourages patients to make the most of their coverage before the year ends.

Pokorney highlights how Babylon Dental Care reaches out to patients through reminders and incentives. "We send out a postcard just to remind those patients that are insured that they may have benefits available. It’s an opportunity to get that last cleaning in for the year, or if there's treatment that's been hovering, we can get them in to do that as well," she said. To further motivate patients, the practice also offers a $50 credit for patients to use on treatment before the end of the year.

According to Babylon Dental Care's website, Sally Pokorney began her journey with them in 1985. She now holds the position of Practice Administrator but has experienced many different roles during her time there. Each one of these roles has given her a better perspective and appreciation for Babylon Dental Care's philosophy of "treating patients like family."