Category Archives: Affordable Dentist

Affordable Dentist

My dentist doesn’t understand I can’t afford his recommendation

I have a chip on my tooth. I’ve not really had money to fix it, but I’ve been offered a great PR job on the condition I fix my tooth. It’s a reasonable request as I’ll be in front of a camera a lot. It will be worth, it, but I just don’t have the money to do an expensive treatment yet. My dentist wants me to get a Lumineer to fix it, but that is way over my budget. Isn’t there any other option?

Brooke S.- Oregon

Brooke,

I get frustrated when I hear about scenarios like yours. A dentist has an ethical responsibility to give patients all their options, not just the ones that make them the most money.

Dentist’s need to understand that not everybody works on the same type of budget and might need more affordable options for their dental treatment.

You do have another option. It’s possible your dentist doesn’t know how to do it and that isn’t why he mentioned it, but he had a repsonsibility to let you know about the option regardless. Have you looked into dental bodning? It uses composite material to repair your chip.  It doesn’t last as long as a porcelain veneer (Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers), but it is considerably less expensive.

It’s a least an option that will allow you to get your new job and then you can save up for the cadillac of repairs.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentists Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

I can’t afford a dental implant

I have a problem and I don’t know what to do. I am having a tooth extracted. My dentist says I have to get a dental implant. However, between the surgery and the restoration, I just can’t afford it. What do I do? I don’t want to leave an empty space in my mouth.

Yvette L. – Maryland

Yvette,

What your dentist is doing is unethical.  He is supposed to give you all your options, not just insist on the ideal treatment. Everybody is on a different budget.

There are other more affordable dental options for your situation. If you can’t afford a dental implant, maybe you can afford a dental bridge or a removable partial denture. If even those are out of your reach, you could get a dental flipper. They are meant to be temporary, but it can fill in if you’re in a pinch and need to save up for a more permanent solution.

I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

 

Affordable Dentist

More affordable dentistry in Mexico

I cannot afford some of the dental work my dentist says I’ll need. It is way more affordable if I go across the border to Mexico. I was hoping you can give me some hints on ways to make sure it is a positive experience.

Hannah S. – Little Rock, AR

Hannah,

There is no way to ensure a positive experience in Mexico. I know it may seem like it is more affordable, but I want to give you some things to think about before you make a final decision.  There are some very good reasons that costs are higher in the United States.  You think about whether or not these are worth the extra cost.

First, in the U.S. we have laws about sterilization of dental equipment and cleanliness of the office. You will find no such laws on the books in Mexico.  While there are plenty of dentists who would voluntarily keep things clean and sterile, it is not something I would like to wonder about when I’m about to get a procedure done.

Secondly, dentists in Mexico do not have to have malpractice insurance. You might initially think that is great and just makes things more affordable for everyone all around, but ask yourslef what recourse you would have if something went wrong.

That insurance actually helps protect you too. There is a system in place in Mexico for filing complaints through the government. However, most foreigners would find the system confusing and you’d have to know all the rules and regulations. Plus, the while their government will mediate, they will not force a dentist to correct his work or refund your money, so you’ll be left holding the bag.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Finding Affordable Dentistry

When you’re looking for an affordable dentist, you don’t want to sacrifice quality.  I don’t necessarily recommend going to the least expensive dentist. That could mean a compromise in the quality of materials.  For instance, if a dentist has significantly cheaper costs for dental implants, he can afford to have significantly lower prices. But, what if those costs savings came at the expense of quality implants? Then, you’re no longer saving money, but risking your health.

But, an affordable dentist isn’t an anomaly. There are other ways to keep costs down.  One is to place your practice in a more affordable area. Lower overhead means savings for patients without sacrificing quality.

For instance, Peck Family Dentistry is just about 4 miles outside of Scottsdale. this allows us to serve both the people of Scottsdale and Phoenix.  Our overhead is lower than if we were just four miles east and we pass those savings on to our patients.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Disparity in dental costs

Can you tell me why there is such a disparity in different dental costs? One dentist in my area charges $900 for a dental crown while another charges $2,100. How can there be such a difference in their pricing? I’m trying to save money, but this is such a huge difference, I’m wondering if something is wrong with the first pricing.

Gennifer F., – Hot Springs, AR

Gennifer,

You are wise to realize that the cheapest deal is not always the best deal.  You want an affordable dentist, but not one that cuts corners in important areas.

The difference in pricing is caused from a lot of factors. Sometimes it is a matter of the type and quality of the materials used. There are some materials, like the type of porcelain used  or whether it is all porcelain verses porcelain fused to metal.

Some times dentists cost less because they work hard to keep their fees down, without sacrificing quality.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Broken fixture

I had called around to find the least expensive place to get dental implants. I found a dentist who was $1000.00 cheaper than everyone else. But, the fixture broke and now I have a serious infection. I don’t know what to do.  I spent everything I had to get this implant and now I am worse off. Is there any way to fix this?

Liz C. – Mesa, AZ

Liz,

I am really sorry this happened to you. I say this over and over again– there is a big difference between cheap dentistry and affordable dentistry.  Generally when something is significantly less expensive than almost every other place you call, it means they are cutting corners in places that are advantageous to themselves, but not to the patient.

In this case it sounds like he used substandard materials in order to save money on his end. This puts you in a real bind. Unfortunately, this procedure will have to be completely re-done after the infection has healed.  You’ll probably also need some bone grafting in order to ensure their is enough bone support for the new implant.

I realize you don’t have money for this procedure right now. You may have to get a removable partial denture while you save up for the second implant procedure.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

The Problem with Cheap Dentistry

When you are on a limited budget, the temptation is to look for the cheapest dental care possible. While that sounds like a great idea, there are dangers. Let me give an illustration. Suppose you went to Walmart to buy a toy castle for your child. They have three different sets. The least expensive is $5.00, but is obviously cheaply made.  The second set is $25.00, but is well constructed. The third set is $70.00. It is also well constructed and has lots of bells and whistles.

While $5.00 sounds like a great deal, if you’re an experienced parent you know that the cheaply constructed castle is unlikely to survive a day before something on it breaks.  The smart thing would be to get the $25.00 set.  Yes, it costs a little more, but it is soundly made and will last much longer.

The same is true of dentistry. Many times when you have a dentist who has the cheapest prices, it is because he also has the cheapest material.  What you really need is an affordable dentist.

These dentists strive to keep prices reasonable without compromising the quality of materials and care they give.  They often have other ways of helping their patients financially with phased treatments and no-interest payment plans.

You are much better served with a quality dentist than a cheap dentist. It won’t matter if  you’ve saved $200 on your crown, if it breaks and causes not only you to spend money on a second crown, but gives you an infection that takes extensive treatments.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Dental Crown disaster

I needed two crowns. I didn’t have much money so I called around to find the cheapest dentist. He did such a bad job that it completely threw off my bite.  It got so bad that I developed TMJ, which is costing me even more than the crowns. What a disaster!

Penny L.- West Virginia

Penny,

You’ve discovered an important principle in dentistry. Cheap does not necessarily mean affordable.  There are affordable dentists who don’t compromise the quality of their materials. However, generally the least expensive dentist is that way for a reason. Sometimes it is just a matter of not being great at their profession and needing a way to draw customers in. For others, it is skimping on the appropriate materials.

What you want to do is look for a dentist who has reasonable fees, but still does quality work.  That usually won’t be the least expensive dentist. Many dentists have payment plans that allow you to pay out your work interest free.  Others do your dental work in stages so you only have to pay for one part of the procedure at a time.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix, AZ Dentist Dr. Kevin Peck

Affordable Dentist

Unhappy with Lumineers that keep falling off

Q. I’ve had 5 Lumineers placed on my teeth. Since then, they have fallen off multiple times. As if it’s not aggravating enough to go back to the dentist for the same tooth to be re-bonded, just this last time I accidentally swallowed it. Now my dentist tells me I should do porcelain veneers that will run me $1200 per tooth. I just paid so much money for the Lumineers… what should I do?

A. I’m sorry you’ve had such a hard time with your Lumineers. Unfortunately, we hear a lot of stories about problems with Lumineers. The manufacturers of this product promotes it as being “no-prep”, and easy to place. That might make a dentist who is not too savvy in cosmetic dentistry feel they can handle this work, delivering an aesthetically pleasing product with a good outcome to the patient. Both Lumineers (which is just a brand name) and traditional porcelain veneers require a true cosmetic dentist who is well versed in these procedures. Everything from an artistic eye to having top notch materials (including appropriate bonding materials) to technique of the clinician can be the difference in a successful cosmetic and functional outcome versus not.  Porcelain veneers have more advantages than Lumineers, as they are more lifelike, and have proper strength. Lumineers are best suited for specific cases only. Seeking an opinion of another true cosmetic dentist in this scenario would be a good idea. Perhaps if you move forward with the porcelain veneers with your current dentist, asking if you could be credited what you paid for the Lumineers towards the porcelain veneers wouldn’t be unreasonable, and make the prospect more affordable.

Affordable Dentist

I’m in so much pain….can I afford to fix it?

I writing this so others can learn from my experience:

It’s been a long time since I visited a dentist. Since my teeth always looked and felt fine, I never made it a point to go. When I started to have slight sensitivity in one area while eating and drinking I shrugged it off. That sensitivity turned into full-blown pain. Eating, drinking, silent or taking it throbbed. The pain woke me at night, and it was really starting to make me suffer. I knew I had to get to a dentist, but was afraid of what the outcome would be. Money is tight, and I know dentistry can be expensive. I was afraid of what they would tell me, and worse…how much it would cost.

My fears had come to fruition when I was told by my dentist I needed a root canal and then crown. I had dental insurance, but knew they covered but a minimal portion. Right away my mind wandered to what I can do to remedy this pain without going through the process of these “expensive” procedures. I asked if I could just medicate it, or better yet, if we could just pull it. As the doctor explained why those wasn’t an option, and proceeded to tell me how we could salvage the tooth, and make it fully functional, I was happy to hear of what the outcome could be. While this sounded good, I still was concerned with what my out-of-pocket cost would be, and if I could afford it. My panic heightened when the office staff informed me of my estimate, based on my insurance covering 50% of one procedure and even less on the other. Then they informed me of ways to have this work done and make it affordable. Procedures like the root canal and the crown are usually done in two office visits or more. They are spaced out over a couple of weeks, on a case by case basis. This space in office visits allowed me to segment my payments to the office, which alleviated the burden of cost. They also offered me financing through a third party. These companies that issue “health care credit cards” allowed me to receive the treatment I needed while paying monthly payments at my choosing (within their guidelines of course). I was happy to know that I didn’t have to put off treatment, and could get what I needed today, and in the future.

I’ve learned not to wait until you’re in pain to go to the dentist. Though I haven’t changed my preconceived notion that it is expensive, I’ve learned that most offices give you options to make it work. No matter how bad it may seem, it’s fixable…and yes, you can afford it.

~Carol L.- Milwaukee