posted
Does anybody know what sort of places to look for to get reduced prices for dental surgery? I just found out that the price for a surgery we have coming up might be over $5,000--and our dental insurance only will pay up to $1,000. The only payment plan the office we currently have an appointment with has a capital one payment program. I guess where their patients apply for it and then pay the capital one people. You have to get approved, though. And my credit sucks. I don't think my husband's is as bad, though, but still not great. So I doubt we'll get approved.
The surgery is a must at this point...and I'm thinking there MUST be some sort of program for low-income people. The only plans I've been able to find are for children.
posted
Is there a dental school in your area? They do that kind of thing for about a third of the price, if you can get them to accept you as a patient.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well -- some dental surgeries are paid better by your HEALTH insurance plan than your dental insurance plan. Depends on the nature of the surgery.
My son was looking to get his jaw surgurically corrected when he was 14 (we ended up not doing it) but the oral surgeon said he could have it covered under regular health insurance as a "medical problem" or "medical necessity" instead of sending it through dental insurance, which covers very little in this area.
posted
Is there any way the surgery could be classified as a medical problem and your health insurance could kick in?
Also, is there a dental school nearby? They usually have low-cost clinics where the students can observe and get hands-on practice with patients (don't worry your work will be done by an actual dentist, you just might have to put up with students observing) When I didn't have dental insurance I had a wisdom tooth pulled at at UAB's dental clinic, and I found it a fun experience. It was cool chatting with all the students, and they were so eager to ask questions and look at things and it was neat listening to the dentist teaching and explaining the process while he worked on me.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I wasn't sure there was a dental school here (Georgia), but I just found out that there is indeed one at Emory. But they have no webpage for it! I also heard that they don't charge as much... I hope.
I was actually counting on the medical insurance covering the difference, but I was confused as to the meaning of impacted teeth. According to our insurance, they will only cover impacted teeth. I'm not sure that's what he has....although it will take a skilled surgeon to do the removals.
I don't want to get to the day of the consultation or surgery and find out that we can't pay so they won't do it. We have a small window, as we're trying to have this finished by the time school starts.
So, if I can find a number for the dental school, I'll call them and see if we can get help there... Also, a friend told me about a denture clinic. They'll do extractions and fit you for dentures immediately. We had an oral surgeon tell us once, though, that they won't do teeth in bad condition...which doesn't make sense to me... Don't all people who need dentures have teeth in bad condition??? So anyway, if I can find the number for them, I'll call them, too.
Thanks for the replies... I could use prayers and good thoughts, too.
posted
I don't understand why your oral surgeon's office isn't helping you determine all of this! Ours did.
Usually medical insurance will pick up anything that is considered a health problem, or detrimental to health. impacted teeth certainly are because they can get infected and abcessed.
You're not sure what he has? Has he been to the dentist or oral surgeon for even a consultation yet to determine the problem? They should be helping you sort this all out.
FG (and you have my prayers)
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
There should be someone in the dental office that handles all this stuff - usually the job is called "Office manager" or even "insurance administrator." That's who you want to talk to. Explain the situation. Keep in mind they WANT you to have the surgery because they want to be paid for it. They'll do their best, usually, to help you find the best way.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, he saw an oral surgeon last year and a dentist. This was before we had insurance and he was suffering from an abscessed tooth. (I think that's what it's called.) Those dentists are not covered under our current insurance, so we can't go back there--which is disappointing because while I didn't care for the oral surgeon (different office), I really liked the dentists. Anyway, I've called up that office, and they don't even have his X-Rays to send over.
Because of my dental insurance, I had to choose an oral surgeon about 40 minutes away. They have none in the town I'm in. There is one dentist here, though, that I could go to under our insurance. I've never heard of him.
And yes, I think the medical insurance SHOULD cover his teeth, because, I believe, they contribute to other health problems. Really, it was just the receptionist at the oral surgeon's that didn't think the medical insurance wouldn't cover it. Then I looked up impaction, and I don't think they're impacted in the bone...but there's also soft-tissue impaction...and he probably has that.. So I don't know if it is covered or not. And I don't know where to go to have that figured out. The dentist we have gone to and can't go back to didn't seem to know what to do, so he just sent us to an oral surgeon (last year).
Maybe I should just make an appointment with that dentist in town and hope that he's good. We could go to a dentist the same day as his consultation with the oral surgeon in the same town..but I'm not thrilled about having his regular dentist be that far away.
posted
Many county health departments also offer dental services in emergencies for those who cannot afford it. Give your local one a call, what can it hurt?
You do have to ask about it, however, as most times they don't advertise it much as a cost saving measure. My best friend's wife went through chemo- four years ago and didn't find out until after the fact that she could have had her teeth bonded before the treatment had she just known to ask the Health Department. Now, well, let's just say the serious chemotherapy really destroys your teeth if they aren't protected.
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Where in Georgia are you? The Medical College of Georgia (in Augusta) has a dental school, but I think that's the only one in the state.
Posts: 3801 | Registered: Jan 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Dont Know]](graemlins/dontknow.gif)
