In the U. S. , most health insurance does not cover basic and preventive dental work. Only dental work that is determined to be “medically necessary,” such as certain dental surgeries and endodontic procedures. Separate dental insurance is necessary for basic and preventive dental coverage. [2] X Research source In the UK, you can qualify for free dental treatment if you are under 18 years old, are 19 or younger and a full time student, or are pregnant or have had a baby within the last 12 months. [3] X Research source In the United States, you may qualify for Medicaid, which covers basic dental care, if you are 21 years old or younger, if you are 21 or older and a full time student, or if you qualify under other Medicaid requirements. [4] X Trustworthy Source US Department of Health and Human Services Federal department responsible for improving the health and well-being of Americans Go to source Medicaid is a health benefit program available to some low-income individuals and families based on eligibility. Medicaid is only available to those who qualify based on income and family size. Call your insurance provider to check if they will cover your dental work. Most dental insurance covers basic dental work like cleanings, fillings, and check-ups or dental work to a certain dollar amount. More extensive procedures like dental surgery or dental appliances may not be covered by your provider or only partly covered by your provider. Find out exactly how much you are expected to pay for your dental work, as you will need to budget for a partial or full payment. [5] X Research source
When booking a dental appointment, you should try to go to a preferred dental provider, as your insurance company will then be required to cover all or some of costs of your visit. If you go to a dentist outside of the preferred providers, you may have to pay for your dental work out of pocket.
Some insurance companies arranged through an employer may require you to pay for the dental work upfront and then submit a receipt to be reimbursed for the cost of the dental work. If so, you may need to pay for the dental work and then send in a receipt so your dental insurance company can reimburse you.
It can be useful to check with your dental insurance company before you arrange any dental work to confirm your plan will cover your expenses. That way, you will not be surprised by a large dental bill after you have already had your dental work done.
You can then arrange to pay the remainder of the bill in monthly fixed payments. Your dentist may set a repayment time frame, usually several months, depending on the cost of the dental work. You should also discuss if your dentist is going to be charging you interest each month on top of the payments. “No Interest” payment plans are typically offered if you have a short time period to pay off your balance, between six to eighteen months. You will be required to pay the minimum balance once a month and pay off the balance within the allotted time. Otherwise, interest will be added. “Low Interest” payment plans are typically arranged when you have a longer term to pay off the bill, usually up to five years. You should try to pay off the monthly payments on time and as fast as possible to avoid paying interest.
Often, paying in cash can allow your dentist to avoid processing costs or third party costs via dental financing. Your dentist may be more amenable to a cash discount if you present the cost savings for the office that are involved.
Focusing on the most necessary dental work first will help to spread your dental costs over a longer period of time and ensure you are able to get essential treatments out of the way. You can then work to save for other dental work at a later date.
If you feel your dentist’s interest rates are high or his payment plan window is shorter than other dental office plans, you can negotiate with your dentist for a better plan. Your dentist may agree to meet you halfway if you show you have done research into other dental office plans and have found a more competitive rate.
Many dental credit plans are done through financing companies that will try to make the agreement as favorable for them as possible. This means the loan will likely have a high interest rate, possibly even higher than your credit card interest rate. Some credit plans will have a no-interest option and may not charge interest for the first one to two years. However, you will need to strictly adhere to the repayment terms of the credit plan and there may be strict penalties if you fail to repay your loan on time after a certain interest free date. Make sure you are aware of the terms of the loan and are prepared to pay back the loan within the allotted timeframe to avoid steep penalties or high interest payments.
Many healthcare credit cards require minimum monthly down payments and may offer low interest or no interest options. Healthcare credit cards can be useful if you require emergency dental work or dental work that you would like to get done sooner rather than later. You can then proceed with the dental work and pay off the cost of the dental work over a set period of time. Make sure you are aware of the penalties for not paying your minimum monthly payments and are prepared to make your payments on time every month. Treat the healthcare credit card like you would a regular credit card and focus on paying it off as soon as possible to avoid being charged interest.
You can dial 2-1-1 in the U. S. for information and referrals to human services in your area.
You can find a list of dental schools at the American Dental Association website: http://www. ada. org/267. aspx.
