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Discount Dental Deals

cavities, cavity, dental, plan, insurance, dentist, cleaning, discount, discount

A web site subscriber told us about this dental deal — we've checked it out and it's good.

SMILING AT THE DENTIST
I was blessed with my fathers easy going personality, wittiness and his less than perfect teeth. On a recent trip to the dentist I was advised that I would need two crowns, not to mention a small cavity that needed to be filled. I asked for the price of one crown and they said it would cost me $1364 ($2728 for two of them). Yikes, so much for our Disneyland trip. My husband has a great job but no dental insurance. A few weeks earlier, I had seen a dental plan online with my dentist's name on it. The receptionist confirmed that they did accept this plan, which is a discount plan not insurance. She informed me that if I signed up for the plan (Aetna Dental Access) that same $1364 crown would cost me only $691. The same service for almost half the price! I went home and signed up for the discount plan at www.DentalPlans.com Affordable Dental Care (they had several plans to choose from). It cost less than $90 for one year. I can now get two crowns for the price of one, and the filling which would have cost me $159 is now only $76. It certainly pays to investigate and be an advocate for yourself. These plans are available in most states. Even if you have dental insurance, you can benefit from these discount programs. Keep Smiling, I know I am.
Cheryl O. - Andover, MA

Here are a few things to keep in mind when researching a dental plan.

1) Many new dentists use dental plans to help build their practices. They "recruit" patients and hope that they become regular paying customers. Most of these dentists are well trained, but some may be inexperienced — you need to research any treatment plan your dentist recommends.

2) Some older dentists still use dental plans to bring in new patients because they can't keep their old customers. If a dentist has been practicing for several years and is still on a dental plan, proceed with caution.

3) Pricing while a specific dental plan may quote prices, confirm with your dentist what your exact price will be BEFORE you start any procedure.

Click here to research dental plans in your area

Comments

Find a dental school in your area (best thing you will ever do)

Submitted by todd on Sat, 07/10/2010 - 16:03.

For years I went without dental insurance. So, instead of letting my teeth fall apart I opted to go to a dental school with dental hygienists. It was the best decision I ever made--financially---and for the health of my teeth.

I have a job now with dental insurance and I still haven't been to a full practiced dentist in 10 years.

I don't use my dental insurance because of 5 reasons: I save more money using a school's dental clinic then going to a dental office and having a co-pay, a dental school works on my teeth more accurately, I always get a lot of dental freebies, a dental school's philosophy seems to care more about the patient's teeth then getting rich, and at a dental school there will always be 2-3 expert dentists on site.

Here is an example. I get my teeth cleaning twice a year at a dental hygiene clinic in a nearby community college.

If I need a cavity filled or any minor work performed then the dental hygenist will refer me to the university of florida's dental school where they have board certified dentists, dental students, and board certified periodontists on staff. The dental students are working on their residency. So the dental student will work on your teeth while the board certified dentist stands over him/her to make sure it is done right. Most students are usually experts by this time. So its like getting two dentists working on your teeth for the price of one.

If you need major dental work like gum grafting, wisdom teeth pulled, or any surgery, the the dental school will have a periodontist perform the surgery while a dental student watches the performed surgery. I had gum grafting work done on two teeth and it costs me $400 at the dental school and they did a superior job! A dentist in practice (in my area)at his office charges $3000. I would be responsible with 20% out-of-pocket costs($600 not including a $20 co-pay.) I saved $220. This is why I go to a dental school.

Check out the local community colleges for dental hygenists in your area. (Google: dental hygenist in my city)

Then for major dental work. Check out a dental school in your area. ***Note: Not all states have a state dental school but they can refer you to another local school.

http://www.dentalsite.com/dentists/densch.html