Dental care is an important part of life. Dental care can also be very expensive. Here are the best ways to save money at the dentist.
Less than 50 per cent of Americans have dental insurance, which means in the event of a dental emergency, people are left with two choices: to pay out of pocket or forego treatment altogether.
The latter may not be the best in terms of healthcare and the former may be virtually impossible. If you need to save money at the dentist, consider these wallet friendly tips:
Simple Ways to Save Money at the Dentist Office
Take care of your teeth
First and most important, it is up to you to look after your teeth. Brushing your teeth at least twice a day is standard. Flossing your teeth properly is very important.
Be sure to look after your teeth and your children’s teeth – it is so important.
Make regular dental appointments
According to dentists, about 80 per cent of dental could have been avoided had the patient attended regular check-ups. Don’t become another statistic!
Schedule regular dental visits to check for potential problems before they get out of control and keep your teeth in check. It’s much cheaper to pay for a dental check up than for a filling or root canal.
Sign up for a discount dental plan
Dental discount plans can be a help when it comes to caring for your teeth. A dental discount plan works kind of like an insurance policy—you sign up, pay an annual premium and choose one of the approved dentists in your provider’s network.
Then, whenever you need to undergo dental work, instead of paying full price, you will receive a discount. Discounts tend to vary according to procedure. Not all procedures may be available on every plan. Read through the plan thoroughly before signing up.
Ask for a payment plan at the dentist office
Speak with your dentist about setting up a personal payment plan for your treatment. Work together to set a price and a frequency, weekly or monthly.
Go to the Dental School to save money
If you don’t mind being a teaching case, head to a dental school for your dental needs. Dental schools are likely to charge less than full-fledged dentists as they would prefer their students to perform the work.
Of course, the work is done under the watchful supervision of their instructors. If you don’t mind having a student administer your check up, you’ll definitely reap the reward when it’s time to pay the bill.
Negotiate a procedure schedule for dental work
It’s possible that one day, your trip to the dentist could potentially be costly. If you’re due for an extensive treatment with multiple procedures, speak with your dentist and negotiate a procedure schedule.
Where possible, schedule the work in conjunction with paydays and when you might have a bit more cash on hand. Most dentists will be willing to work with you to ensure you have the work done when you can afford it.
Remember, speak honestly about your situation and be realistic—you know what you can and cannot afford.
Consider any cheaper alternatives
Speak to your dentist about different treatment options that could help keep your pennies in your pocket instead of dishing out big dollars for dental work.
And, this is why it’s important to have regular checkups. If you do, you may still end up some day with needing a filling. But, if you hadn’t had regular checkups, instead of a filling you could be looking at a root canal.
And root canals are much more expensive than fillings!
As with anything, there are always cheaper alternatives, and your dentist will likely work with you to determine what method would work best for you while saving you money.
Read more about ways to stay in good dental health
Take a look at these home made ways to brighten your teeth
Practice good dental health – make it a three times a day routine to take care of your teeth.
