Useful Tips to Finance Dental Work

By Guest Author | dentist | August 18, 2020

Let’s be honest. Avoiding the dentist is extremely easy. Not only is it very expensive, but who likes the idea of having a needle in their gums or a tooth drilled? However, it is only easy to ignore until things become serious, which is usually where treatment is more invasive and costly. Not only that, the cost of dental treatment has continually risen each year, and for those with families, even check-ups are not cheap!

For those who have reached the unfortunate stage of an emergency appointment and are also worried about how they can afford it, there is no need to panic. 

This piece will discuss some of the useful tips that can be used to help finance important dental work.

Use Insurance for Dental Work

If you have medical insurance, it is worth checking what your provider covers when it comes to dental work. They might only cover dental work when it is deemed as medically essential, however, this definition can vary from insurance company to insurance company. Dental health can affect the rest of your body, which is where the line becomes blurred between a dental procedure and a medical procedure. This is usually assessed case by case, so it is always worth checking if medical insurance can pick up some of the financial slack. Make sure to get all of the details of how the insurance will work or how the payouts will work to ensure there are no nasty out of pocket surprises.

Over at bafdentistry.com, they are renowned for accepting most insurance, and are a preferred provider for many insurance companies!

Payment Plans from the Dental Office

Some dentists offer their own payment plans, which can make dental treatment much more affordable, as it is much easier to pay a weekly or monthly sum rather than a whole lump sum upfront. 

Be sure to check with the dental office that will be delivering the treatment as to what financial plans are available, as these can vary from company to company. Be sure to also ask important questions such as what the interest will be, if the plan is not interest-free, if a credit check is required, and how long the payment plan’s span is. 

If the chosen dental office does not directly offer a payment plan, there may also be the option to take one out with a third party.

Negotiate Dental Treatment Costs

We now live in a world of bartering and bargaining, and dental treatment is no longer excluded from this narrative. It is now perfectly acceptable to negotiate treatment prices to be made a fairer offer, or one that can be afforded.

Another thing to keep an eye on is the upselling of extras. These could include procedures such as teeth whitening or other cosmetic adjustments which can be refused to keep the costs down. 

Some dental offices will be flexible and can offer discounts and deals at their discretion, so do not be afraid to ask. The likelihood is that they would rather take the money being offered than not have any at all, and the worst that can happen is they say no!

Photo by Michael Browning on Unsplash