When you’re on a budget, you might have a hard time figuring out how you can pay for your dental care. You might be tempted to skip your dental visits altogether, but doing so will likely lead to major oral health issues that require expensive treatments. It’s better to look for ways to make dentistry more affordable – and luckily you have several options for doing so. Here are 4 possible solutions for keeping your dental costs under control.
1. Dental Financing
Some patients might have a hard time paying the entire cost of their care all at once. For this reason, many dentists offer flexible financing options. Simply put, financing lets you break up your dental costs into smaller installments that won’t put as much of a strain on your budget.
You can often expect your dentist to partner with CareCredit, a third-party financing company trusted by healthcare providers across the country. CareCredit has many payment plans to choose from, all of which have little to no interest to worry about. As a result, you can pay for your treatment at a rate that you’re fully comfortable with.
2. Dental Insurance
Having a reliable dental insurance plan through your employer can go a long way toward reducing your out-of-pocket dental costs. The specifics of your coverage depend on what plan you have, but you can typically expect your insurance company to pay 100% of the cost of preventive care, 80% for basic services, and 50% for major procedures. If you have dental insurance, it’s worth reviewing your benefits and figuring out the best way to maximize them before they reset at the beginning of each year.
3. Online Fundraising
If you need a major dental procedure performed but aren’t sure how to pay for it, you might try starting a crowdfunding project to ask for donations online. You might be surprised how many people in your local community care enough to help you get the treatment your smile needs.
To make sure your fundraiser reaches as many people as possible, you should try sharing it on social media and building a community around it. You can also draw attention by holding in-person fundraising events, such as a car wash.
4. Charitable Organizations
Certain organizations offer dental services for people who might not be able to afford them otherwise. For example, the Texas Mission of Mercy is a mobile dental clinic that brings underprivileged families the basic care they need to protect their smiles. Take the time to see if there are any organizations in your area that might be able to help you.
About the Author
Dr. Travis Spillman has been practicing dentistry for over two full decades now. He loves giving back to his local community, which is why he dedicates some of his free time to the Texas Mission of Mercy. His practice, Spillman Family Dental of Rockwall, accepts various dental insurance plans and offers patients financing through CareCredit. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Spillman, visit his website or call (972) 945-0887.