Dental costs

[pinkytoe]

Wondering how all you frugal people deal with dental costs? DH and I both need a general checkup/cleaning and are shopping around. We don't have dental insurance. They all want around $425 for visit, cleaning and X-rays so that would be over $800 for both of us. I could forego the X-rays but apparently they won't see you unless you get them. We are also looking to switch to Medicare Advantage plans that tout covering dental costs but the dentists I have spoken to have all opted out of that. They all have in-house insurance now. Thoughts?

[iris lilies]

I cannnot easily find how much my teeth cleaning is but I’m thinking it’s somewhere around $125-$130. That is with a 10% discount for paying with a check or cash.

I don’t remember how much x-rays are but I’m thinking maybe $80 or $85?.

Cleanings are twice a year, x-rays are once a year. We don’t have insurance and don’t try to insure for dental or eyeglasses, we never have. We just pay for it.

I didn’t read carefully, sorry. Our cost is half of yours.

We’ve been going to the same dentist for 32 years. He was an extraordinary fellow who recently died. He was highly educated (had an M.D. as well as Dr. of Dentistry degree) he taught dentistry, he was active in many ways in military/gun education/policing/motorcycle riding.

His treatment and fees are reasonable. I have good teeth and never need anything done. DH need something every few years.A root canal is I. His immediate future.

….edited to make sense…

[Yppej]

When I did not have dental insurance I only went every three years and skipped the x-rays.

[catherine]

Some dentists charge less than others--some, in my experience, will also negotiate fees based on ability to pay, but you typically have to build a relationship first. I would look for a dentist that doesn't have a lot of overhead for heavy advertising or the highest tech equipment.

My dentist, who I LOVE, is a simple dentist. His chairs are worn, and he still takes X-rays with those gag-inducing cardboard squares. He never upsells, and if he knows we're in a pinch he gives us a discount. His staff has been with him for decades, which is a testimony to his character. I think his fees are in the $100-$200 for check-ups.

OTOH, DH went to a new dentist where X-rays are done with a wand and an instant picture on a TV screen--and the bill reflected this level of state-of-the-art.

[Tybee]

I don't have an answer but I will share that when we lived in Beaufort, my husband went to a dentist in Savannah (that's the big town you go to if you live in Beaufort) and the guy was Paula Deen's dentist and they served champagne when you arrived. My husband was quoted 30,000 dollars to remove the silver/mercury fillings from his mouth. And he kept having to look at pictures of Paula Deen.

We went out to Lady's Island, where we lived, and a dentist charged 350, which his dental insurance paid.

So be wary.

[rosarugosa]

On the other hand, I do think it's also possible to be too conservative in the realm of dental care. DH & I have gone to different dentists for many years, and I long ago made the observation that either I was getting over-treated, or he was getting under-treated, since we were receiving very different levels of care. After his dentist retired about 3 years ago, he needed a lot of work done, several root canals, crowns, an extraction. I believe it was a matter of deferred maintenance rather than over-treatment by his new dentist because he had teeth break, developed abscesses, etc. so it wasn't just a matter of the new dentist deciding to do stuff. My mom had been going to DH's dentist for years and I switched her to my dentist when he retired, and she needed a lot of work. And DH has met at least one other person who had the same dentist and needed a lot done after he retired.

[Rogar]

That seems like a lot. I don't have insurance and routine cleaning is around $180 and cleaning plus doctor exam is about $250. I do cleaning every six months and doctor exam every year. I think X-rays are only every two years and add another $50 or so. My dentist was rated in a local magazine as a top in the area. I pay cash and get a 10% discount.

The dental coverage my advantange plan has is a joke. There is only one "in network" dentist in my metro area and it's miles from home and through obnoxious traffic. They won't cover dental from any other doctor. I've even called the insurance compny to verify as it seems so rediculous. If my dental costs were those from the OP, I'd compare the cost of separate dental insurance, like Delta Dental with any anticipated dental outlays.

[SteveinMN]

We're COBRA'd on DW's dental plan but it's not great coverage so we have to be careful. Not Medicare-eligible, either, for a few more years. For both of us, though, pain-free dentistry is a must, so if the dentist is stingy with the anesthetic or hamfisted, we'll pay more for one who's more willing to listen to his patients.

We pretty much go on an as-needed basis, so we've skipped six-month cleanings from time to time. We figure the harangue is the same whether it covers six months or a year, so... Our dentist is willing to submit to the insurance company ahead of time so we know what they will pay for the big work, which lets us know that we've hit our deductible (or, more likely, not) and discuss some options (maybe an extraction instead of a cap, etc.). Our current dentist also seems to be less expensive than the ones we were using here in town; not sure why that is since the offices are interchangeable and there are fewer staff people at the current practice.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I live in Arizona, about 3 miles north of the border. I offshore dental to Mexico. Also optical. I know not evetyone has easy access to Mexico/much saner pricing. Anothet reason I never left Arizona. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

Should have been 3 hours north of the border, and another reason I never left Arizona above. Rob