Dental financial issues

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Hoolianama0508
Hoolianama0508 Member Posts: 162
edited June 2014 in Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues

Anyone else having major problems with their teeth, while also not having any health insurance? I don't have a dentist and desperately need my tooth extracted but cannot afford to pay out a lump sum. Are there any programs out there?

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited November 2011

    I think some dentists offer a payment plan. (so payments are spread out). Also dental schools may have lower-priced services. (but you may be treated by their residents, and overseen by their faculty, which might make the appts run longer). 

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  • Hoolianama0508
    Hoolianama0508 Member Posts: 162
    edited November 2011

    Thanks Pegg_j, I will ask about the payment plan. The nearest dental school is 2 hours away from me, I will give them a call.

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  • Medigal
    Medigal Member Posts: 1,412
    edited November 2011

    I would say too bad you didn't think to purchase Dental insurance but from my experience they don't end up paying much even if you have it.  Depending on the plan.  I think your best bet is to see a dentist who will accept a payment plan from you. If yours doesn't, imo, I would get recommendations from friends for one who will.  Dental work can really be expensive these days as we well know. 

    You might want to see if there is a Dental Association in your area which can recommend where you can go for help with this financially other than the nearest dental school since it is so far away. 

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  • dogeyed
    dogeyed Member Posts: 884
    edited November 2011

    Depending on the size of your town or perhaps one nearby, some county health departments will have a dental office in-house or as a satellite where they provide low-cost dental care. Those health clinic are the phone book under the name of the county, if you call the health dept and they don't have one, they can probably refer you to someone in the area who does this.  Also your state dept of social services may also know of one and can refer you.  By the by, extractions are the least-costly of dental procedures, and while you have zero cash, you could find out what regular dentists' range of charges for two pulled teeth are, and then sell something, an old couch as mini yard sale or on Ebay and there you go.

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  • cycle-path
    cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
    edited November 2011

    The location of the nearest dental school may not be particularly relevant. Dental students need to complete certain procedures before they can get their licenses, and they often do the procedures in the office of a dentist they know who may or may not be near their dental school. 

    So don't be afraid to pursue the option of having the work done by a dental student. It might not mean much travel.

    I agree with dogeyed, though, that an extraction is one of the more inexpensive treatments and paying for it on your own might not be so bad. 

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  • Hoolianama0508
    Hoolianama0508 Member Posts: 162
    edited November 2011
    Thanks for the advice. I am going to start calling around and hopefully will get this taken care of asap. Smile
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