How to Find an Affordable Dentist

Any type of dental work can be expensive. That's why some people avoid going to the dentist. A dental emergency, such as an abscessed tooth or root canal, will set you back even more financially. Finding an affordable dentist takes effort and research, but in the long run it will ensure that you have dental care when you need it.

Instructions

Finding a Dentist

• 1

  Find out which dentists accept Medicaid and Medicare patients. Medicaid is a health care program, administered by the states, for low-income individuals and families. If you already have Medicaid coverage, your children under age 21 may be covered for preventative dental care. Medicare is a federal program for people age 65 and older; it only covers dental issues that are part of a medical treatment, such as jaw reconstruction. However, if a dentist is willing to treat patients who use these health care programs, which generally do not pay as much per service as other insurances, she might be willing to set up payment plans or work on a sliding scale for you.

• 2

  Ask the dental office about discount programs. Often these programs are offered by individual insurance plans; however, you may have a hard time finding a dentist who honors them. It is better to find a dentist that offers a program through his office or franchise. The savings can be up to 50 percent of the usual fees for services.

• 3

  Use a dental school for care. At many dental schools in the United States, you can get discounted dental care from recent graduates or those in training and under supervision. The University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry, for example, needs people to be patients for its students. In 2008, the school handled 160,000 visits. To see if there is a dental school within reasonable distance, check your phone book, ask for help at your local library or check on the Internet.

• 4

  Volunteer for dental research studies. Only a few private practice dentists are looking for volunteers, but the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research sometimes does as do other organizations conducting clinical trials. As a volunteer, your dental work may be far below retail cost or even free. It particularly is worth looking into if you need expensive services.