New Year- New benefits.....but what does that mean for Orthodontics?

 

New Year, New Insurance, New Smiles at Barnett Orthodontics in Barberton, Ohio

The start of a new year is always a time for fresh beginnings—and 2026 is no exception! At Barnett Orthodontics in Barberton, Ohio, we’re excited to welcome the new year with renewed energy, updated insurance benefits for many families, and our continued commitment to making orthodontic care simple, transparent, and affordable.

If you’ve recently changed insurance plans or are considering orthodontic treatment this year, here’s what you need to know as we head into 2026.

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New Year = New Insurance Benefits

A new year often means new or refreshed insurance benefits, which is why January/February is such a popular time to start orthodontic treatment.

Orthodontic insurance benefits are usually a once-per-lifetime benefit, not something that renews every year. Even if your plan resets annually, orthodontic coverage often does not.

In simple terms: if orthodontic benefits have already been used, they may not be available again—even if you switch insurance plans or start a new year.

The good news? If you haven’t used your orthodontic benefit yet, a new plan or updated coverage in 2026 may still help contribute toward treatment.

Our experienced and friendly insurance coordinator at Barnett Orthodontics is always happy to review your insurance, explain things in plain language, and help you understand exactly how your benefits apply to orthodontic care.

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We Accept Direct Assignment from Insurance Companies

We know insurance can feel confusing and time-consuming, so we do everything we can to make the process easier. That’s why Barnett Orthodontics accepts direct assignment from most insurance companies.

Here’s what that means for you:

• Your insurance payments are sent directly to our office

• We file claims FOR you, less work and less to track

• Faster claim processing and smoother communication

Our goal is to take the stress out of the financial side of orthodontics—so you can focus on enjoying the journey to a great smile.

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We Accept HSA & FSA for Orthodontic Treatment

Did you know you can use HSA (Health Savings Account) and FSA (Flexible Spending Account) funds for orthodontic care? We gladly accept both!

Using HSA or FSA funds allows you to:

• Pay for treatment using pre-tax dollars

• Lower your out-of-pocket costs

• Make the most of your healthcare savings

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Planning Ahead Makes Orthodontic Care Easier

Orthodontic treatment is an important investment in your smile and oral health, and we believe it shouldn’t feel overwhelming.

Whether you’re:

• Starting braces or clear aligners in 2026

• Switching insurance plans

• Or exploring payment options for your child or yourself

Our knowledgeable and supportive team is here to guide you every step of the way—no confusing jargon, no surprises.

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Insurance FAQ

1. How much does insurance usually cover for braces or aligners?
Coverage varies by plan, but most orthodontic insurance covers a fixed dollar amount (i.e. $1000), often up to a lifetime maximum.

2. When does orthodontic coverage start?
Some plans require waiting periods before coverage kicks in, so it’s best to check your plan or ask our team to verify.

3. Can I use insurance for both children and adults?
Many plans cover both, but some have age limits. We’ll help you understand your plan’s rules.

4. Does insurance cover clear aligners like Invisalign?
Many plans treat clear aligners the same as traditional braces, but coverage can differ. We’ll verify your benefits so you know exactly what’s covered.

5. What if I change insurance plans during treatment?
If your new plan has unused orthodontic benefits, it may contribute toward your remaining treatment. We can help navigate the transition.

6. Can I combine insurance with HSA or FSA funds?
Yes! Using HSA/FSA alongside insurance is a smart way to reduce out-of-pocket costs.

7. Are orthodontic benefits renewed every year?
No—orthodontic insurance is typically a once-per-lifetime benefit, even though dental coverage resets annually.

8. What is “direct assignment” and how does it help me?
Direct assignment means insurance payments go straight to our office, so you don’t have to file claims yourself. It reduces paperwork and speeds up processing.

9. Do I need to pay upfront, or does insurance pay first?
With direct assignment, insurance pays the portion they cover directly to us. You’ll only pay your patient responsibility portion, making the process simpler.

10. Can I start treatment mid-year if I just got new insurance?
Absolutely! As long as your orthodontic benefits haven’t been used before, we can help you start treatment and maximize your coverage.

121 What if my plan has a lifetime maximum less than my treatment cost?
Our team can help you plan your payment options and explain how insurance payments will be applied to your treatment balance.

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Make 2026 the Year of Your Best Smile

A new year brings new opportunities—and a confident smile could be one of them. If you have questions about insurance, direct assignment, or using HSA/FSA funds, our team at Barnett Orthodontics in Barberton, Ohio is always happy to help.

We’re excited for what 2026 has in store and look forward to helping our patients start—and finish—their smile journeys this year!

All set! ✅

Have a little "Faith", you won't be the only adult in braces

If you're an adult considering orthodontic treatment, you're not alone. From superstar Faith Hill to the everyday super-moms and super-dads, adults make up 25% of today's orthodontic population.

At the 2013 Grammys this year, Faith Hill proudly displayed her dental accessories and created quite a buzz with the mainstream media. The Today Show on NBC ran a segment this week discussing the growing popularity and social acceptability of adult orthodontic treatment. At Barnett orthodontics, we're proud to provide Akron's adult population with numerous esthetic treatment options from clear braces to Invisalign removable clear aligners. Often the objectives of adult orthodontic treatment are different from adolescent treatment and the overall amount of time one needs to spend in braces can be less. 



Our team at Barnett Ortho would be happy to discuss if orthodontics could be beneficial for you. Call our Barberton office today at 330-745-4497. We proudly serve numerous Akron OH communities, are conveniently located, and provide complimentary consultations. 

Here's a link to a blog post we wrote in 2009 about celebrities and braces.  

Braces in Barberton—The Under Appreciated History of the Magic City

Barberton, Ohio, has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s. Despite our practice being located here for almost 30 years, many of our Team Members were unfamiliar with the great history of the city of Barberton. To better educate ourselves, recently, some of us attended the annual Barberton Historical Society Anna Dean Farm Walking Tour. Here are some of the highlights…

Founded by O.C. Barber, Barberton was constructed as an industrial city close to Akron and on the Ohio and Erie Canal. Diamond Match, owned and operated by O.C. Barber was located in the city and was the largest producer of matches in the United States producing 250 million matches a day. On the heels of the success of Diamond Match, O.C. Barber constructed one of the largest and most successful “super-farms” of its time. He mastered the principals of mass production, mechanization, innovation, and long-term planning. The 3,500 acre estate, with a daily operating expense of nearly $1,000, consisted of 12 acres of greenhouses, herds of top-quality livestock, several large barns, a piggery, poultry house, flour mill, concrete factory, brick works, creamery and a 40 acre park. On the highest part of the farm overlooking Barberton laid the 52 room, 50,000 square foot French Renaissance Revival mansion, reportedly described by the New York Times as the “finest mansion between New York and Chicago.” Fully completed in 1910, the mansion alone cost over $400,000 and required 18 months to finish.

Unfortunately the Barber Mansion was torn down in 1965 but many of the Barber Farm buildings have been restored and some are being used by local businesses. There is a wonderful historical society working hard to preserve the history of Barberton and Barnett Orthodontics is proud to be a business in the Barberton community.

WIN $2,500-- American Association of Orthodontists announces "How Orthodontics Changed My Life" scholarship contest...

Check out this great contest sponsored by the American Association of Orthodontists...Win $2500.00!!!

The American Association of Orthodontists is sponsoring the “How Orthodontics Changed My Life” video contest. There will be two winners; each winner will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship.

The “How Orthodontics Changed My Life” video contest is open to students who are age 18 or under as of July 15, 2010 and who are legal residents of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam and Canada. Contest participants must have completed active orthodontic treatment (braces must have been removed) and be in the active retention phase of treatment or have completed active retention. Contest entrants must have received orthodontic treatment from a member of the American Association of Orthodontists.

All entries must be postmarked by July 15, 2010. Videos submitted should be two minutes in length or less. Entries are limited to one per person. There is no fee to enter. Contest entrants should tell their stories on video, answering questions such as:

• - What were you like before you had orthodontic treatment?
• - How have you changed?
• - How proud are you of your new smile?
• - When did you notice changes in yourself?
• - What kinds of changes have you noticed?
• - What does your new smile mean to you?
• - What would you say to others whose smiles make them self-conscious?

Before beginning work on your video, carefully review the Terms and Conditions. To submit an entry:

• - Burn your video file onto a DVD or save it onto a USB flash drive

• - Complete the “How Orthodontics Changed My Life” Video Scholarship - Contest Submission Agreement including all contact information and the signature requested at the end of the agreement form.

• - Sign the form if you are 18. If you are under 18, the form must be signed by your parent or guardian

• - Mail your DVD or USB drive and your signed submission agreement form, postmarked by July 15, 2010 to:
  
  Linda Gladden
  Director of Communications and Marketing
  American Association of Orthodontists
  401 N. Lindbergh Blvd.

  St. Louis, MO 63141

  
  You will receive a confirmation email message indicating that your submission has been received. Judging The 10 finalists and two scholarship winners will be selected by AAO communications staff and a team of AAO members serving on the Association’s Council on Communications.

  
  The judges will evaluate entries based on:

  • - Clarity of the entrant’s personal story
  • - Creativity in the approach of conveying the story
  • - Use of attractive and interesting visual elements
  • - Clear and comprehensible audio
  • - Effective and tasteful use of humor, if applicable
  • - Enthusiasm and positive perspective on orthodontic treatment

  
  Reporting of Results

  By August 15, 2010 all 10 finalist videos will be posted on the American Association of Orthodontists Web site, Braces.org, and on the AAO members’ site, AAOinfo.org. By August 15, 2010 the two winners will be announced. Finalists will be notified by phone or email before August 1 and winners will be notified by phone or email before August 15.
  
  Terms and Conditions

  • All videos submitted become the property of the American Association of Orthodontists and may be posted in multiple online outlets by the AAO, shown at orthodontic specialty meetings or used in advertising materials related to orthodontic treatment without compensation of the entrant
  • Winners agree to participate in public relations announcements by the AAO, including their names, contest video link information and photographs.
    
    
  • Each of the two winners will receive a $2,500 scholarship to be used toward their post-high school educational expenses at a college, university, vocational training or technical school.
    
    
  • All federal, state, and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the contest winners.
    
    
  • Decisions of the judges are final.
    
    
  • Submissions will be voided if discovered to have been obtained through fraud, or if they contain inappropriate content such as vulgarity, obscenity, lewd comments, pornographic images or violent images; or if they promote violence or disparage any person or entity; or if they contain trademarked or copyrighted material.
    
    
  • Submissions may not include video or audio content of any individuals other than the entrant.
    
    
  • Children of members of the American Association of Orthodontists, children of employees of AAO member offices and children of AAO employees are not eligible to enter the contest.
    
    
  • Patients and former patients of members of the panel of orthodontists designated to select the two winners are not eligible to enter the contest.

Candy Cane Contest Winner--$50.00 to Summit Mall

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Grant won our most recent contest. He guessed the correct number of candy canes in our jar--303!

Grant won $50.00 to spend on whatever he wants at Summit Mall.

Thanks for the 300 people who entered our contest.

Ask your Akron Area Orthodontist: Do Celebrities Wear Braces? Am I too old for Braces?

Tom Cruise

The secret behind many smiles in Hollywood started with braces. Some had braces at an early age while others sported their braces on the red carpet or while in the limelight. Whether you're in your teens, or beyond, it is not too late to think about straight teeth, at any age. Barnett Orthodontics should be your choice to find your own celebrity smile in the Akron area!

Lyndsy Fonseca from Desperate Housewives.


NBA's Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic


Sean-a-Paul sports a different kind of bling...


Danny Glover from Lethal Weapon


Love Actually star Thomas Sangster


Dakota Fanning

Here's a list of some of more famous people who have had braces: Cameron Diaz, Alyssa Milano, Angie Harmon, Tom Cruise, Carol Burnett, Anna Kournikova, Brett Favre, Brittney Spears, Barbara Walters, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ashley Judd, Christina Applegate, Clare Daines, Cindy Crawford, Daisy Fuentes, Dakota Fanning, Danny Glover, Diana Ross, Gwen Stefani, Heather Locklear, Jody Foster, Kelly Clarkson, Lee Ann Womack, Lil' Bow Wow, Linda Evans, Marquis Daniels, Martina Hingis, Mary Stuart Masterson, Nicholas Cage, Melissa Gilbert, Monica Seles, Oprah, Pink, Sean Paul, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Terrell Davis, Tyra Banks, Warren Beatty, Tia and Tamara Mowry.

Contact us to discover how braces or Invisalign can improve your smile! 330-745-4497.

Serving Akron, Canton, Norton, Barberton, Green, Uniontown, Coventry, Canal Fulton, Manchester, Copley, Fairlawn, and more!

A Patient at Akron's Barnett Orthodontics on NBC...in the news!

This week on NBC's WKYC-TV Channel 3 news, a story highlighted the struggles of one Akron family's battle with an insurance company from a school sports accident.

Alex Berry, a patient at Barnett Orthodontics has been fighting with the school insurance company for over a year. He was injured playing baseball and lost five front teeth, including all four on his bottom jaw. We have written two letters on his behalf requesting the insurance company approve his case, and finally, via the determination and drive of his mother's efforts, it seems the orthodontic treatment has been granted. We couldn't be happier for Alex. He still has a long road ahead--2 years in braces, dental implants, and crowns, but the financial burden, has at least been significantly lessened. Keep up the good fight Berry Family. We look forward to doing our part to help in restoring Alex's smile to how it was before this terrible school sports accident.



Barnett Orthodontics provides braces and invisalign for children and adults. We serve the greater Akron area including Barberton, Norton, Clinton, Coventry, Manchester, Green, Uniontown, Wadsworth, Canal Fulton, Copley and More. Call today for a no fee consultation--330.745.4497

At what age should orthodontic treatment occur?

Orthodontic treatment can be started at any age. Many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected at an early age before jaw growth has slowed. Early treatment may mean that a patient can avoid surgery and more serious complications. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child first visit an orthodontist by age 7 or earlier if a problem is detected by parents, the family dentist or the child's physician.

Call today for an appointment 330-745-4497