When Dental Work Eats Up Savings
Reader Comments
Veronica's Experience (unfortunately!) Not Uncommon
One thing that surprisingly gets little press in the medical insurance debate is the high cost of dental procedures, and how many people don't have medical insurance, or still face very large fees even if they have insurance.
This site lists more than a dozen experiences like Veronica's -- many of them even worse.
http://www.costhelper.com/cost/health/root-canal.html
Criticality of Regular Visits
I hate to say it but this points out the importance of visiting your dentist even if you don't have dental insurance. Spending $400 a year or so on 2x annum cleanings is a bargain compared to spending 2-3K on a root canal and crown on just a single tooth.
As a dental provider, we see people who had stopped coming in the past because they lost their dental insurance and are now back. Oftentimes, we find work that will cost them (out of pocket) many multiples of what the cleanings and exam would have been under self-pay.
prevention
prevention is the key, it is amazing how well a tub of toothpaste, toothbrush, floss and few minutes a day can prevent cavities. then an occasional check up by a dentist. of course root canals come unexpectedly so HSA and using the change (coins) game can help.
Costs of dental care
It's great to say preventative care is important, but for many people, that's hindsight. Dental care beyond regular visits is outside the budget for many Americans.
Those who need more than a single crown or root canal are heading to Mexico, Costa Rica or even further for what they need. The airfare and accommodations costs, and the inconvenience, are more than made up for in thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in savings.
www.beautyfromafar.com
Prevention through Diet
Dentists aren't really teaching people prevention beyond fluoride, brush, floss and "see me twice a year." The real prevention is diet. And not just avoiding sugars. Nutrients such as calcium, vitamins A, C and D are required to create cavity-resistant teeth. So eat those seven to nine servings of fruits and veggies every day, get some sunlight daily and your teeth and over-all health will prosper and so will your bank account.
Rotten diets cause rotten teeth and no amount of brushing, flossing and fluoridating will change that.
In fact, one of dentistry's little secrets is that too much fluoride actually can cause teeth crumble.
Dental costs can be controlled
With good research and regularly scheduled care, costs for dental treatment can be controlled to some degree and even reduced. There are several options to consider when you want to schedule major dental care. Does your plan provide access to dentists who are available and can treat you on relatively short notice if you have an emergency? Does your dental plan make you wait to use it after you join the plan or require a referral for specialist care? Can you use your plan nationwide either in or out of network? Has the cost of treatment increased over the past year or remained constant? Can you combine your dental plan with other plans like additional insurance or discount plans? Do you have an FSA/HSA/HRA plan that allows you to combine tax savings with your plan?
You may wish to consider a discount plan like those offered by Careington International (www.careington.com). These are memberships that provide access to a network of participating dentists who charge a discounted fee with savings that range from 20% for specialty work up to 60% for preventive and restorative procedures. You can use the plan without waiting, as often as you need, and it is available nationwide wherever providers are located. Typically, a discount plan will allow use by the entire household and can be used in conjunction with indemnity insurance plans.
Preventive dental care can help to cut down on the need for most emergency care. Take care of your teeth on a regular basis to reduce the risk of problems later on. Find a dentist that will help you with maintenance issues and scheduled visits, and consider shopping around for cost effective dental plans to help you save money. Going into debt for medical needs is not the best use of credit unless you have the ability to pay off the bill when it comes due. You will be surprised what a little due diligence will do to help you save money.
Mistakes
I really doubt that over $1500 out of pocket was for JUST a root canal. It was probably for a root canal, post, and crown.
A cheaper but durable alternative to a crown, for patients on a budget, is an amalgam buildup filling that covers the whole chewing surface. These cost 1/4 to 1/3 the cost of a crown. The patient can always have a crown done later. Unfortunately, many of the lay public has been sold on the mythology that amalgam is dangerous to health.
The first mistake was to go to a specialist for a root canal. Many general dentists do them, (althought this patient's dentist did not), and they do them a lot cheaper. Most generalists here chaged $550-800 for a molar root canal here in Atlanta. I do them every week.
I disagree with the previous posters about discount dental plans. There are shell games where you are quoted lower fees, and the dentists who sign up for these "plans" make up the difference by charging the patient for miscellaneous things not usually billed for.
Kim Henry, D.M.D.
Re: Mistakes
While I agree with some of what Kim Henry stated, I don't necessarily agree with the comments regarding amalgam fillings. In this regard, one must look to the facts. Unfortunately, while the dangers of - let's call them what they are - mercury fillings have yet to be determined via proper, quantitative statistical research, it has been proven that a person's content of trace mercury increases significantly after having this work done. Any toxic substance in the body over a long period has been proven to not be a good thing. Everyone's threshold is different based on a variety of contributing factors. While there is rarely ever a direct cause-effect relationship - accumulation of any foreign substance is what is important. Time is what will tell us the true story. Unfortunately, it might be too late for many, if the stats reveal the real harm they could cause. As a dentist, I think it would be imperative to not believe the internal industry propaganda we are let to believe and to always look for the best health for the patient.
