Tag Archives: affordable dentistry

Affordable Dentist

Is an Affordable Dentist Possible Without Dental Insurance?

I’m in my late thirties and have never been the best at taking care of my teeth. I have been without dental insurance for the last couple of years, and, therefore, haven’t had a checkup in well over that amount of time.

I am a contract employee, which means I don’t have dental insurance, and, recently, found myself without any work. The nature of my unemployment status has me under more stress than ever before and I’m discovering that I am grinding my teeth when I sleep. In fact, I think I may have a cracked tooth because of the grinding.

I am certain I have a myriad of other dental issues which need addressed, since I haven’t been seen for quite some time. I know that I can’t put dental care off any longer, but am concerned about the cost, since I don’t have dental insurance.

Is it even possible to find a cheap dentist who does quality work?

Thank you,
Erica

Dear Erica,

It sounds like you’ve been experiencing a run of bad luck. Unfortunately, searching for a cheap dentist will likely yield cheap care. If you seek dentists that are promoting the fact that they offer cheaper rates than their competitors, you will more than likely get what you pay for. Your treatment could be quick and rushed, the quality of care could be less, or you could be one of several patients being seen at the same time.

The best route to take is to try to focus your search on finding a quality dentist, who does a great job, yet is within your budget parameters. There are several considerations when doing this.

What to Consider When Looking for an Affordable Dentist

You mentioned not having dental insurance. One option to consider is getting dental insurance of your own. Many of the major insurance providers offer policies similar to what you would have through an employer. It just isn’t subsidized, as it would be with an employer. You would likely pay something in the range of $50 per month, maybe more, maybe less. If this is something to consider, don’t wait, as many policies require a specific waiting period.

Another consideration is looking into a practices that offers financial arrangements. Some offices offer discounts for cash paying customers who pay in full. Many offices offer financing options through programs such as CareCredit. CareCredit is a program which offers no interest payment plans for a specified period of time.

A third option to consider is arranging your dental procedures in an order which allows you to budget for them. Ask the dentist which procedures are priority and should be addressed soon, then stager the remaining procedures.

Finally, you are right to want to take care of the teeth grinding, before any major problems begin to occur. Grinding teeth can wear your teeth down greatly, causing a need for crowns and fillings. It can also cause teeth to break, or loosen, and can ultimately cause jaw issues. All of which will become worse if left untreated. If your grinding your teeth at night, be sure to address this with a dentist, as you could be fitted for a night guard.

If you are grinding your teeth during the day, due to stress-inducing clenching or grinding, this is different. Because it is impractical to leave a night guard in all day and night, there are other techniques that can help to prevent daytime grinding. Many people have good luck learning to practice techniques of mindfulness and relaxation. Therefore, if you find yourself beginning to clench your jaw, or grind your teeth during the waking hours, you could try to think of something that relaxes you, or meditate briefly.

Many of these considerations will allow you to address your dental needs with a quality, affordable dentist, which staying within your budget.

Good luck!

This blog article is provided by the office of Phoenix affordable dentist, Dr. Hillary Peck.

 

 

Affordable Dentist

What should i do to find a good affordable dentist?

It seems there is a bit of irony in the phrase “affordable dentist.” As someone who is in need of several dental procedures, I have not been able to secure dental insurance until the last few months. The first dental provider I visited recommended treatment to the tune of almost $12,000. That is completely unrealistic for my budget, so I set out to find a dentist would could provide the services I need for a lesser cost. However, in my research, I’m concluding that the dental offices who showcase their low costs come with poor reviews. And, those which I have visited, feel like the dentist is running an assembly line, quickly moving through as many procedures as possible.

Because I am in need of a great deal of dental work, it is crucial that I find a dentist with whom I can connect with and feel comfortable around.

Is it possible to find a dentist who will provide quality work for a reasonable cost?

Thank you,
Will

Dear Will,
You ask wonderful questions. Rest assured, this situation is quite common. However, the remedy will require a different way of thinking.

Thought it may appear that, when comparing the services from various dentists, that they are the same, regardless of the procedures, the individual dentists have their own unique approaches. Try to consider the dentists’ perspective, as there are only so many ways costs can be reduced. A dentist could:

  1. Monitor and limit the time they are with patients (this sounds similar to the tactics you mentioned above).
  2. Select materials which are cheaper.
  3. Reduce the amenities they offer and/or the size of their team, or have team members with less experience.

Unfortunately, doing any of the above would reduce the quality of your experience and services you receive and you would want to steer clear of offices that do them. However, these are characteristics of cheap dentistry.

The solution is more about finding a good dentist who is affordable. There are several considerations when doing this.

  1. Look for an office who will separate your treatment plan into smaller sections. This will allow you to pay for the services as you receive them and your budget allows.
  2. Consider offices who offer financing options. Many offer this in-house through their office, or use services such as CareCredit.
  3. If you don’t currently have dental insurance, get it. Or, if you do have it, look into getting a secondary plan. You can get on a good PPO for under $50 a month, but be cognisant of wait periods, as some companies require waiting over a year for services.
  4. Prioritize and address the most pressing needs first, and as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the longer you go without fixing dental problems, the more expensive they become.
  5. Be sure you are getting the most out of your insurance benefits. Ask questions and find out as much about your benefits as you can. Determine if there are other options that will allow the insurance company to cover more, or be sure you use every dime of the amount they pay.

If you find an office that you connect with, be sure to let them know your budget. Ideally, the best practices will offer to find ways to help ensure you get the treatment you need, even if you have to start slow and go at the pace which your budget allows.

This blog is brought to you by Phoenix affordable dentist, Dr. Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Affordable Neighborhood Dentist? Where?

Why does where you live seem to determine how much you have to pay for the dentist? We stretched ourselves financially in order to live in a better neighborhood, but the dentist here is almost double what our old neighborhood dentist cost. I don’t want to have to drive across town into the heart of an area we felt was unsafe in order to get affordable dental care.

Nora

Dear Nora,

Dollar sign hatched from an egg

It would be nice if the quality of all dentists were reliably equal, but that isn’t the case. The cost of a dentist varies based on several factors, though it is possible to find highly skilled dentists which are affordable, even in better neighborhoods. First, I’ll go over some factors which affect cost.

Building Costs can Affect the Cost of Dentistry

You’ve heard the expression, “Location, location, location…” Often offices in better neighborhoods have to pay exorbitant rental costs on their building. It’s hard for them to stay afloat, so their prices are higher so they can stay in business in that area.

This is one of the reasons Dr. Peck chose a location just outside a more expensive area. This enabled him to keep his costs reasonable for people in more than one type of neighborhood.

Skill Can Affect the Affordability of Dentistry

While some dentists do not raise their prices simply because they have exceptional skills, some do. They’ve spent a great deal of money and time furthering both their education and their skills. They need to make up the cost of that education.

Affordable Dentistry versus Cheap Dentistry

On the other end of the spectrum, there are dentists who lower their prices significantly just to draw patients in, but the quality of their work isn’t up to snuff. They keep their profits up by purchasing lower quality materials.

Think of it this way. What’s more affordable, a crown that lasts fifteen years and costs $900.00 or a crown that lasts four years and costs $500.00? Obviously, the cheaper crown ends up costing you significantly more in the long run.

Ideally, you want to find a dentist who does quality work at a reasonable price. Most dentists will offer some type of payment plan option for work that has a higher cost because of the nature of the procedure.

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