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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. Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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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?
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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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.
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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?
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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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!
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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I'm going to check out the dental school that ludosti found. Their website says that their fees are about half of standard fees.
Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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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)
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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I second what rivka said: Delta Dental is excellent both in benefits provided and (relatively) low premiums.
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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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+
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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What is available through Blue Cross varies greatly from region to region. In most, the yearly cap on dental is set way below $6000.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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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.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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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. Posts: 4569 | Registered: Dec 2003
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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.
Posts: 159 | Registered: Jun 2006
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