[hotair2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Hey, I am not argueing with you, and every plan is different. I am only telling you our experience. Here, luckily our dental is part of our suplimentary insurance, in NM it was not expensive but the dental choices were so bad we choose to bite the bullet and not carry it. Of course crowns did cost, as I mentioned $900 to $1200 and we paid every penny ourselve, us and our credit cards.. We knew many who went to Mexico, a few had horror stories to tell. We just wouldn't take the gamble..We would rather pay the inflated cost than take a chance with our teeth and health..

To some of you the prices are high here in AR, to us, after our experience in NM they are dirt cheap. It is all relavent.
Nita

Well I am still looking for affordable dental work here...out of pocket. If anyone knows of any place, please let me know. I am afraid that I am going to have to leave the state to get any work done, which is a big inconvenience, but maybe I can make a vacation out of it.

[marmac]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Hey, I am not argueing with you, and every plan is different. I am only telling you our experience. Here, luckily our dental is part of our suplimentary insurance, in NM it was not expensive but the dental choices were so bad we choose to bite the bullet and not carry it. Of course crowns did cost, as I mentioned $900 to $1200 and we paid every penny ourselve, us and our credit cards.. We knew many who went to Mexico, a few had horror stories to tell. We just wouldn't take the gamble..We would rather pay the inflated cost than take a chance with our teeth and health..

To some of you the prices are high here in AR, to us, after our experience in NM they are dirt cheap. It is all relavent.
Nita

I fail to see why if crowns cost --" $900-$1200--" in a different state, $800 - $1,000 in Arkansas deserves the label--" dirt cheap"

[Dr. Foosball]

Wouldn't dental work in Mexico almost guarantee a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by marmac

I fail to see why if crowns cost --" $900-$1200--" in a different state, $800 - $1,000 in Arkansas deserves the label--" dirt cheap"

you know what I mean by my statement: Of course I don't think it is "Dirt Cheap" I am saying in comparison to some places..Obviously if you read what I commented on earlier you will see where I mentioned inflated prices..It also has to do with looking around and price comparing. We have a friend here that is only a part timer, the rest of the time until they can retire they live in Kansas. Recently while visiting she lost a filling, needed a dentist and found one that could see her. It was a young man with a very upscale office, including a spa right in the office. Long story short, he charged her over $300 for a filling and did a lousy job. She ended up going to someone else who repaired the damage for about $70.00. This same dentist quoted another friend $6000 for the dental work he needed done. Someone else quoted closer to $3000.

No one is trying to justify the high cost, I am only saying we have experienced worse. In fact once while in Texas a dentist tried to tell me I need 11 crowns. Here I am, almost 25 years later and I have had a total of 3 in my life.

Are you getting the point of my comments? Everything is relavent, not justifiable but relavent.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

Wouldn't dental work in Mexico almost guarantee a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge?

I would guess they don't stop to do anything including eat or drink. At least I hope they don't...

[hotair2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

you know what I mean by my statement: Of course I don't think it is "Dirt Cheap" I am saying in comparison to some places..Obviously if you read what I commented on earlier you will see where I mentioned inflated prices..It also has to do with looking around and price comparing. We have a friend here that is only a part timer, the rest of the time until they can retire they live in Kansas. Recently while visiting she lost a filling, needed a dentist and found one that could see her. It was a young man with a very upscale office, including a spa right in the office. Long story short, he charged her over $300 for a filling and did a lousy job. She ended up going to someone else who repaired the damage for about $70.00. This same dentist quoted another friend $6000 for the dental work he needed done. Someone else quoted closer to $3000.

No one is trying to justify the high cost, I am only saying we have experienced worse. In fact once while in Texas a dentist tried to tell me I need 11 crowns. Here I am, almost 25 years later and I have had a total of 3 in my life.

Are you getting the point of my comments? Everything is relavent, not justifiable but relavent.

Nita

Yes it all relative; however, the fact remains. I have yet to find anyone who will do a crown here for less than $900. Considering I had work done in Atlanta and Denver for much cheaper, I would say that the cost here is inflated. It is only cheap here if your insurance pays for everything. Based on the number of responses to affordable dental care here in the river valley, which is ZERO. I guess I will go out of state and get the dental work done somewhere else. Maybe if enough of us do it they will lower their prices. So much for the low cost of living in Arkansas.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by hotair2

Yes it all relative; however, the fact remains. I have yet to find anyone who will do a crown here for less than $900. Considering I had work done in Atlanta and Denver for much cheaper, I would say that the cost here is inflated. It is only cheap here if your insurance pays for everything. Based on the number of responses to affordable dental care here in the river valley, which is ZERO. I guess I will go out of state and get the dental work done somewhere else. Maybe if enough of us do it they will lower their prices. So much for the low cost of living in Arkansas.

I doubt it will help by people going elsewhere as I doubt there would be enough willing to do this to make any inpact what-so-ever. It certainly didn't make a difference in NM, in fact, maybe it hurt. Because so many went to Mexico the dentists hicked their prices to make up for the loss of business. I don't know, but I do agree the cost is way too high..

Nita

[SusanG_O]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I am not loaded by any means, but I can promise you one thing: If I have a tooth missing, no bills get paid, nobody eats, nothing gets done until my tooth is fixed. I guess many people (especially at Waffle House) don't agree with my priorities.

We just moved out of Hot Springs Village after ten years. Back to Tyler, Tx. I found the medical and dental care just terrible which is one reason we moved back to tyler. And it wasn't just the lack of expertise; even the Personalities of the doctors and dentists were cold and uncaring. They yell at you and they even give you to another doctor without telling you!!
There is one dentist directly across from the Village main gate who was great. I can't remember his name; I had my molars crowned for $200 each in tyler decades ago when I had insurance for pre-existing conditions!
Tell him "davis sent me" and he should know who I mean.

[marmac]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I am not loaded by any means, but I can promise you one thing: If I have a tooth missing, no bills get paid, nobody eats, nothing gets done until my tooth is fixed. I guess many people (especially at Waffle House) don't agree with my priorities.

A rather arrogant post.

I doubt you have ever been in the situation you described ( having to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table for your family or having a missing tooth)

[CESpeed]

These are very scary posts. When I lived in California the one thing I din't worry about regardless of my financial situation was medical and dental. If one was poor you could go to a dental school, General Hospital or clinic, and there is always the free clinic. I had all of my wisdom teeth pulled at General Hospital with complete sedation free of charge. Of one had limited income there is a chain called Westren Dental where one could finance dental work. I had a root canal done 20 years ago and the crown is still good. I guess I'll have to plan a trip to the dentist and doctor when I go home for a visit.