Dental Emergencies And Vacations
Traveling to an exotic location for vacation can be exciting. While you may get away from your work and family obligations while on vacation, you can't escape the risk of experiencing a dental emergency. Many vacationers engage in physical activities (like zip lining or taking surf lessons) that place their teeth at risk, so it's important that you take the time to understand how to handle a dental emergency while you are on vacation.
Here are three tips to ensure a dental emergency doesn't put a damper on your fun.
1. Contact your insurance provider.
If you have dental insurance coverage, you will want to contact your provider before taking any action when a dental emergency arises while you are on vacation. Many insurance policies allow for partial payment when you are forced to see an out-of-network dentist due to an emergency, but this coverage is usually only available with pre-authorization.
Speak to your insurance provider to ensure that your situation qualifies as an emergency, then obtain pre-authorization to guarantee that you will be able to recoup some of your financial investment when you get home.
2. Keep copies of everything.
In order to receive the financial compensation you are entitled to from your insurance company, you will need to submit a detailed claim for any dental emergencies that occur while you are on vacation. Be sure that you are keeping a copy of everything when it comes to your care.
Ask the dental office to provide you with a copy of the certifications and credentials for the dentist who treated you, and ask for copies of any diagnostic forms or tests (like x-rays) that may have been performed. This information will help your insurance company code the care you received in order to process your payment.
3. Schedule an appointment with your regular dentist.
Emergency dental procedures are often designed to provide a short-term solution. This is especially true of dental care that you receive while you are on vacation. To ensure that your oral health doesn't suffer as a result of your dental emergency, you should schedule an appointment for as soon as you arrive home with your regular dentist while you are scheduling your emergency dental appointment.
Having an appointment scheduled helps to ensure that you won't experience a wait period while trying to have your regular dentist provide a permanent solution for any dental problems you experience while on vacation.
Knowing how to deal with a dental emergency ensures that these mishaps won't limit the fun of your next vacation.