Open Enrollment Just Shifted Your Hygiene Book—And You Probably Don't Know It

Open enrollment is ending. Patients are signing up for 2026 plans. Your hygiene book just shifted. Most don't realize it yet.

What's happening: October and November are peak open enrollment windows. Employees are choosing their 2026 health plans, which include dental. New plans mean new benefit designs, new deductibles, new max out-of-pockets. Patients will arrive in January shocked at their coverage. And half of them will ask if you're "in network."

Why operators care: Your case acceptance rate depends on benefit information accuracy. Wrong benefits intel tanks closes. Your staff needs to run actual benefits BEFORE the appointment. EOB review is no longer a luxury. Plus, more patients are switching plans entirely. That PPO you've been hammering? They might be on a HMO now. Or worse, an HDHP with a $0 dental rider.

Action: Audit your benefits verification process. Train your front desk to say "We'll confirm your exact coverage before you come in, so we know what you're looking at." Run the benefits. Have the conversation. Don't let January become your conversion disaster.