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Listen, I work in an office that sees only patients on public welfare and low income.
I don't hear anyone complaining out getting their haircut at the Barber for $15 or when that auto mechanic charges you well over $600 to put new tires on.
Actually, I cut my own hair or have it done at the local beauty school for less than 1/2 of that, and that's only 3x yearly. Not to mention, you really can't compare ORAL HEALTH with a hair style or a car.
If your hair looks like crap, you wait a few weeks for it to grow out, if your car is broken and you can't afford to fix it, you wait till you can or do it yourself. You can't just borrow another mouth to eat till you can afford to have your teeth fixed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drsmiley06
Yea, don't tell me dentists are expensive, when it comes to your health you better be ready to shell out the money, or live in pain, either way, I still get a paycheck whether you show up or not. It's very simple, brush and floss your teeth, maybe use mouthwash every once in awhile, get your teeth cleaned and examined at least once if not twice a year and maybe, just maybe we'll catch that cavity that starts early and get it before it turns into a root canal.
I DO live in pain cause I simply can't afford to pay for dental either with or without insurance. It's a fact. So I deal. If I could find a place that gave good care for an affordable prices (like a local med clinic does for low income), then I would have some stuff taken care of; but since that's not an option I DO suffer.
And it's not that I don't take care of my teeth, I brush 4x daily and floss after every meal, snack, or piece of candy or munchie. (I use a TON of those little plastic floss things), and utilize good oral care; but it doesn't matter when I have bed genetics and a broken tooth, ya know?
It's not the little dental care I need help with, it's the BIG stuff that is too expensive, IMO.
hope the will help someone. on this website DR.Oogle: Dentist Reviews, Dentists Ratings and Recommendations. ( dentist reviews ), a dentist who has high reviews ( i live in the pacific nw ) will have a complimentary exam or a complimentary sedation for 1st time patients. the dentists who have high reviews are "open listing" so you can read everything.
it is scarey when you open your mouth and here comes a $200 fee for an exam ! with the high reviews and a complimenary exam OR sedation, this really helps ! ( right now it is more expensive to see a dentist than a doctor ). thx you posters for all this helpful info !!
I had been going to my dentist so long, that once, when I unforeseeably got laid off, I had an outstanding bill, I paid it in 3 installments... just talk to them.
I had been going to my dentist so long, that once, when I unforeseeably got laid off, I had an outstanding bill, I paid it in 3 installments... just talk to them.
This is funny becasue many years ago I had to have some major work, including 2 crowns, and the bill was over $1000. We had insurance but this went above and beyond and we didn't have that much money sitting around. I'd been with this dentist for about 7 years and when the bill came I just sent in what I could. That happened a couple months in a row and then I noticed they had applied a "Professional Discount" of a couple hundred dollars off the total I still owed. That put it down to where I could pay off the rest that month. I never talked to them, they never mentioned it to me, and I stayed with that dentist another 18 years until he retired! See, I didn't know you couldn't pay the dentist that way and just assumed it was all good. Haha.
William:
I'm in Michigan, Oakland county, was in car accident, top two teeth gone bottom have two broken and four pushed back dentist said 4000 to
fix. state farm wont pay unless I find dentist to bill them as they do work. do anyone know of dentist that will help me.
Last edited by Geronimoe; 02-20-2017 at 06:57 AM..
Reason: to put oakland county
I think it is because people don't feel obligated to pay them. People do not go to the dentist as often as to the doctor. Either every six months or when absolutely necessary. We have to go to the dr.
do most people go to the DR more often than every 6 months?
do most people go to the DR more often than every 6 months?
Why?
I sure don't.
I go to my Dr once a year and now that I'm taking care of my teeth with coconut oil toothpaste, it's been about 5-6 yrs since dental appt. Grape seed extract keeps my gums healthy. Cutting back on sugar/carbs helps a LOT.
I had a recent knee issue that just about did me in but that was the first in my life and hopefully the last.
I hope you never have to present what you would deem a "sob story," when in desperate need of care. I hope you never have to ask, "What will this cost." Just put a sign up at the door requiring patients to disclose their net available cash funds before entering. Now, this will be considered a personal attack, whereas what you wrote, will be judged fine and dandy as slanderous as it is.
Before you fork over money for one of those reduced payment plans, be sure that your preferred dentist takes them... in my experience (working in the field), typically (but not always) the sub-par dentists (as well as the dental clinics) tend to take them to make up for not having enough patients otherwise. If your dentist takes them, then that's great, but don't buy first and then try to find someone who will do the work for substantially less money.
Exactly! At least in this area the only dentists who accept those plans are corporate owned practices and they do so much up-selling that after they sell you some special mouthwash and unneeded periodontal treatment you will end up paying twice what you would have somewhere else.
Actually our dentist will work out a payment plan or we pay with a credit card. Our medicare supplement covers some of our dental work. We are lucky, even at my age I have all 32 of my teeth and have only had a few cavities. I do try to take good care of my teeth and have to give attention to my gums. My husband has the opposite problem: gums are fine, but he does have a bridge with about 4 teeth in it. Otherwise his are pretty good as well. We both have a few crowns and I have a couple of broken teeth in the very back of my mouth. We feel thankful we do not have a lot of dental expenses.
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