Getting cosmetic dentistry and dental treatment in several parts of the world, specifically in wealthy countries of the developed world, can be extremely expensive, regardless of whether you have access to any form of dental coverage.
In a survey (1999-2004), it has been revealed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) that 3.75% of adults between the age of 20 and 64 have no remaining teeth. As of 2010, nearly 45 million Americans lacked dental insurance, according to the US federal agency CDC’s statistics.
Many middle-income and uninsured people avoid their dentist appointments due to high costs than pain. But delaying needed dental treatment or check up can put them at an increased risk of facing costlier and more extensive dental work in the long run. Understandably, the oral and dental problems can worsen an individual’s oral health if not attended to immediately.
If you are in need of any kind of dental treatment or surgery but are scared of the heavy dentist bill, by following some useful tips you can save money on your dental care.
Mentioned below are some useful tips to lower the costs of dental treatments for insured and uninsured alike.
Dental Tourism
Dental care could be highly cost prohibitive in several wealthy countries like US, Canada, Australia, the UK and other EU countries.
Compared to the US and European countries, all common dental makeover procedures including veneers, tooth colored fillings, bleaching as well as more complex treatments including orthodontic or surgical treatments like dental implant, bridges, crowns, sealants and tooth bonding can be found at surprisingly lower costs in developing and some newly industrialized countries like India, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Hungary and Belgium, due to the lower living costs and labor wages.
So, instead of delaying your medically necessary dental treatment you can look for inexpensive alternatives in any cheaper country of your choice.
Say No to Frequent X-rays
Your dentist might suggest dental x-ray during your first visit, a scheduled checkup, or a return for treatment. But the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that the frequency of trips to the dentist’s X-ray chair should be determined by the current condition of a patient’s dental health.
So, if you have good oral health, it is just not necessary to have dental x-rays taken every time you visit the dentist. Having teeth x-rayed less frequently can not only save you substantial amount of money but also keep you from potentially harmful radiation exposure from dental X-rays.
Use Negotiation
Another way to keep your dental treatment cost down is to talk to your dental surgeon about payment options during the initial consultation. After having clear understanding of what will and will not be included in the dentist bill you may ask for discount on the dental bill. Your dental care provider and facility may offer you a variety of payment options. Don’t be afraid of asking to pay your dentistry expenses on monthly or quarterly basis.
Barter
It may sound crazy, but you can get free dentistry through the bartering system. Patients with different skills and professional services like carpentry or web design can trade their services for the dental treatment. For example, one can create a Web site for your dentist or offer plumbing, mechanic or any other service in exchange to the dental care costs.
Seek Out Dentistry in a Dental School
To super-size your dental care savings, consider having your dental work done at a dental school, where the dental procedures will be performed by students under the supervision of the qualified and skilled dentists at a fraction of what you would pay in a private care center.
Brush and Floss Everyday
Most importantly, if you really want to save money you need to take very good care of your oral health. Brush your teeth twice a day or after every meal and floss at least once daily to ward off your risk of oral proble