We’ve already told you that February is Pet Dental Health Month, but did you know that it’s also Children’s Dental Health Month, too? We’ve teamed up with the MetLife TRICARE Dental Program to remind all the military moms and dads about the important dental benefits available to dependent children and spouses of Active Duty service members and Reservists. Not a military member but know someone who is? Be sure to share this info so they don’t miss out!

Your Family’s MetLife TRICARE Dental Program Benefits Include:

• Two cleanings and two exams per year at no cost, w/ network dentist
• Orthodontic coverage for children up to 21 (23 if a full time student)
• Two topical fluoride applications per consecutive 12-month period
• + more at www.metlife.com/tricare

One of the included benefit to ask your network dentist about is dental sealants for kids. Sealants on permanent molars for children though the age of 18 are covered under the MetLife TRICARE Dental Program with a 20% cost share. A dental sealant is a plastic material that is applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars) to prevent cavities.

Both parents and the kiddos will be happy to know that applying sealants does not require drilling or removing tooth structure, making the process short and easy! Research shows that dental sealants help prevent cavities on teeth with pits and grooves, so it’s recommended that dental sealants be placed on the permanent molar teeth of children shortly after the molars erupt. First around age 6, with the second set of permanent molars appearing around age 12.

Another concern parents may want to discuss with the dentist is tooth grinding. No one knows exactly why children grind their teeth but stress, improperly aligned teeth, and even dehydration can be factors. Ask your dentist to monitor your child’s teeth if he or she grinds their teeth. No intervention is usually required with preschool-age children, but older children may need temporary crowns or other methods, such as a night guard, to prevent the grinding.

For Additional Info and Resources visit:

• MetLife TDP website: www.metlife.com/tricare
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetLifeTDP
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/metlifetdp

I know first hand that military family life can get hectic and that there’s lots to juggle to keep it all together. When it comes to keeping your family finances organized, the New Year is a great opportunity to take a moment and check to see that you are on top of any changes to insurance premiums including health, dental and car insurance. It’s important we stay in the know about our rates so there aren’t any surprises down the road.

That’s why I’m working with MetLife TRICARE Dental Program to make you aware that there will be changes to the monthly premiums effective February 1, 2016. Premiums vary based on the sponsor’s military status and type of enrollment.

Pour yourself a cup of coffee and take a few minutes to sit down and check your monthly premiums to see if they’ve changed. Also please take the time to help spread the word by sharing this with any military moms and dads you know! The chart below offers at at-a-glance summary:

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