Comments on: 7 Ways To Save Money On Dental Care & Bills.

By: David

David — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:01:24 +0000

Getting a regular cleaning, for most people, is the best way to reduce bigger expenses down the line. No one should be going more than once or twice a year, as you mentioned.

By: MITBeta @ Don't Feed The Alligators

MITBeta @ Don't Feed The Alligators — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:27:55 +0000

I disagree that going to the dentist very often is cost effective — especially if you don’t have dental insurance. I haven’t had dental insurance in almost 5 years and have been going about once per year for a cleaning and checkup. I think this is a good compromise between paying too much and missing something big.

The other problem I run into is that my dentist typically wants to do an X-ray set once a year, at a cost of about $200. I usually ask them if they can wait until my next visit.

By: Debbie M

Debbie M — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:23:16 +0000

You forgot about the cheap obvious ones.

Brush!

Floss!

Eat less sugar! (And brush or at least rinse your mouth out after you do eat sugar.)

I try to remind myself that I never know when my insurance is about to disappear. It’s easy to tell yourself that you have insurance and can do things any time, but getting in the habit of keeping up with check-ups leaves you in better shape if you do find yourself going without for a while.

Best of luck with your procedures.

By: AA

AA — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:46:49 +0000

Don’t go to a dentist that does all the work themself. Go to an office that has in house specialists or will refer you to a specialist when needed.

While most dentists can perform basic procedures (like root canals, etc), if they are not as familiar with a particular procedure, they may miss something and you’ll need to go back for more and more work.

Definitely get second opinions! Ask friends and co-workers about their dentist. If you’re in a small town, try a dentist is the next town over.

Create an emergency fund just for dental visits. Most insurers put a cap on the amount they will pay for the year and one procedure can pretty much wipe you out.

By: David

David — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:27:22 +0000

I would particularly agree with the part about getting a second opinion. It seems like dentists have recently gotten into the game of “over-diagnosing” so to speak. Telling you that you need $1000 worth of work done when only a fraction of that is truly necessary.

Unless you’ve known your dentist for years, I would get a second opinion before having any major work done.

By: Jesse

Jesse — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:46:21 +0000

The biggest problem is probably going often. I havent been in years! These tips also work if you are uninsured. Great info

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:12:19 +0000

Find a dentist you like and trust and stick to them. If you take care of yourself and your teeth you really don’t need to go more than max twice a year unless something drastic comes up which will keep costs down.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:06:51 +0000

We pay out of pocket (10% cash discount at my dentist) because we take good care of our teeth, and private dental insurance is more expensive than paying out of pocket, by the time we pay premiums, plus our portion of the procedures. It’s annoying.

Also, good luck with your situation. I bet it’s terribly frustrating to not be able to get the care you need at an affordable price. I agree that we need reform. And we need a public OPTION since the insurance companies are unwilling to make good profits instead of obscene profits.