Cash Vs. Insurance for a Dental Payment

You can pay cash for your dental treatments instead of using an insurance plan. Insurance plans can save you money, but cash offers great flexibility. With cash you can see any dentist, while insurance plans may limit you to certain dentists.

More Expensive

• You can expect more out-of-pocket expense if you pay all your dental treatments with cash. Most insurance plans will pay all or a portion of covered dental procedures, and some plans offer special discounted group rates for certain services. With cash, you will pay 100 percent of the cost.

Less Convenience

• Dental insurance can provide you with peace of mind, because it allows you to see your dentist at virtually any time without worrying about having enough cash on hand.

Limited Coverage

• Dental insurance does have its limitations. Most insurers will only cover a certain number of procedures in a given period. After you reach your limit, you'll have to start by paying by cash or find another method of payment.

Payments

• Some dentists will allow you to make cash payments over time. Dr. Martin Spiller, a practicing dentist in Massachusetts, says such arrangements should be made in advance.

Timelines

• You can also ask your dentist to provide you with a detailed analysis of your dental needs, including procedures, costs and when they need to be performed. The report could be useful in helping you determine how to budget your cash or how much of your needed work your insurance will pay for.