My employer doesn't offer dental coverage and i need a considerable amount of work done. The dentist requires payment in full at the time the work is performed. The work will cost about $6800. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Sadly, in my experience it is virtually impossible to get dental insurance worth getting on an individual basis. (Plans available from companies vary from worse than useless to excellent. Anyone who has the option of getting Delta Dental totally should.)
I feel your pain!
Does your company have a medical flex plan?
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
Not that I'm aware of. I have cheap employers.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Good luck.
Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :
If it makes you feel any better, most dental insurance plans provided by employers have a yearly cap much lower than what you need. So you'd likely be paying most of it yourself anyway.
Good luck.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Sadly, there is a reason that many impoverished people have missing teeth. (my husband recently chose having a back tooth pulled over paying 2,000 bucks for a root canal, and that was with insurance) As Speed said, dental insurance helps a little, but not a lot. I'm sorry, Derrell, maybe someone else has better news.
Try a university dental school. They will do work for much less. You get the students doing the work, but they do a good job, mostly. Of course, that depends on what you need done. Does ASU have a dental school?
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
I could only find one dental school in Arizona - the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health in Mesa. They offer low cost dental services (approx. 50% of what private practices charge) through their clinic.
It really is difficult to find low-cost dentistry (I have several friends who have gone through the agony of putting up with bad teeth because they couldn't afford to have them fixed).
I hope you can find something Derrell!
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Are you sure you can't find a dentist that will let you make payments?
-pH
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Good point, pH. You could also take out a loan, Derrell, though that would stink.
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
I'm going to check out the dental school that ludosti found. Their website says that their fees are about half of standard fees.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
The one my husband used allowed payments, as I remember(which is poorly). It was Tufts Dental School, and it was a while ago!
Good luck!
Also, there might be a group of dentists who do pro bone work, like some lawyers do.(many, though they don't have that added to their rep)
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
I second what rivka said: Delta Dental is excellent both in benefits provided and (relatively) low premiums.
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
Since I'm self-employed, I have my own health insurance - through Blue Cross - and adding basic dental coverage was only about $20 more a month.
You might consider that rout. Paying a few hundred for personal health insurance and another $20-50 for pretty good dental is a far sight better than $6000+
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
What is available through Blue Cross varies greatly from region to region. In most, the yearly cap on dental is set way below $6000.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I've had treatment at a dental school (we're lucky to have TWO world-class dental schools in easy driving distance from my house) and it was actually better than what I would have got from a regular dentist and at a much lower price than going to a specialist would have stuck me with. When I eventually get my wisdom teeth out (next year's tax return is earmarked for that) I am going that route.
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
I called the dental school and made an appointment for an initial exam. then comes the comprehensive exam including x-rays. That exam will be at least $30 cheaper than the regular dentist charged. This looks like it might just work out. Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
I go to a dental school. You should keep in mind that often the dental school takes a lot longer. The students are slower and then sometimes you have to wait around for a while for a professor to get free to check their work.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)