Help With Dental Expenses

Dental expenses can be unexpected and hard to deal with. An impromptu cavity or root canal procedure can rack up hundreds of dollars. You can find help for paying for your dental expenses by carefully researching your options, and then making sure such expenses won't surprise you again. Pay your dental expenses each time you have work done, so that a bad standing won't prevent you from having work done in the future.

Financing

• Speak to the front desk of the dental office and explain your inability to pay. There's a good chance you can receive a financing plan that breaks your dental bill into manageable monthly payments. Interest might be charged. Always make your payments on time, or your finance plan could be rejected and the full balance would become due.

Discounts

• Some dentists offer discounts for employees of certain businesses, people who fall below the poverty line, and patients who explain their financial need. They offer discounts to insurance companies; ask them to extend that same discount to you. Chances are that if you've always paid on time and have come in often, the office manager will give you a discount if you ask.

Insurance

• Make sure you have sound dental insurance. If you don't know whether your employer offers dental insurance, talk to your company's human resources department. If you're purchasing insurance on your own, look for a policy with a low deductible and low co-pays. It is rare to need much more than routine dental work, which should cost a minimal amount.