Learn How To Pay For Dental Work When You Can’t Afford It
Taking care of your teeth is an expensive part of being an adult. If you can’t afford dental work, you are not alone. Millions of Americans lack dental coverage, according to recent surveys by the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®. Lack of adequate coverage often leads to avoiding all dental procedures and routine maintenance because of out-of-pocket costs and high copays, which can often range from $50 to hundreds of dollars. Delaying treatments and regular cleanings due to lack of access to coverage can lead to tooth decay and other worsening health issues linked to your teeth, such as heart disease.
If you need to get your teeth looked at but your wallet is empty, you might be searching for how to pay for dental work when you can’t afford it. The answer is that you have options, even if you feel like you can’t fit a regular cleaning into your current budget.
Can I Fix My Teeth If I Don’t Have Money?
If you can’t afford dental work and you need to fix your teeth, you can explore a few different methods at your disposal to get the job done and avoid maxing out your credit card. Learning how to pay for dental work with no money is as simple as understanding the available resources:
Dental Schools
If there are any nearby dental schools and you need a basic cleaning or a crown put in, you’re in luck. Dental schools have students performing services under supervision in order to graduate with the required hours. While there are discounted or free services offered to eligible patients, keep in mind that more complicated procedures that require extensive dental work may not be performed at dental schools. If you have neglected your teeth for a long time, you can start at the school to get a better idea of what you’ll need to fix your teeth when you don’t have money, but you may need to find a more experienced professional based on your health concerns. The American Dental Education Association offers a list of dental schools across the country, making it easier to find a location near you!
Community Clinics
Like dental schools, community clinics offer free or discounted cleanings, preventative care, fillings, and emergency dental care. Community clinics are supported by locally funded organizations in order to better serve the community and provide access to dental care that some individuals cannot afford. The Department of Health and Human Services has a map of community health centers available for different counties in the Unites States.
Dental Clinic Payment Plans
Some dental clinics offer payment plans for some of the most expensive dental services, such as complex procedures like full mouth restoration, dental implants, and cosmetic dentistry. You may be able to request a “pay-per-month” plan that allows you to pay in equal installments over time, which can be more predictable and affordable than paying the full upfront.
Check Out a New Dentist
In some cases, visiting a new dentist can be cheaper than going to your current one! Some dental offices offer discounted services like cleanings or annual x-rays for new patients. The average cost of annual dental x-rays ranges from $52 to $120 depending on your location, so it’s worth searching for a new dentist online if you can find a provider in your area that offers those perks to eligible patients.
Cash Advances
If the options listed above are not available, you can explore financial resources if you need to fix your teeth and have no money. Cash advances are a common loan option and they come in two convenient forms: unsecured, short-term loans or credit card cash advances. With the latter, you can access a portion or all of your available credit line by visiting an in-network bank branch or participating ATM. You can borrow against your credit line, but interest will start to accrue immediately, unlike regular purchases made with your card.
As for the short-term loan, you can access funding and help bridge the gap between your paychecks! Whether you need to pay for new crowns or routine maintenance, a cash advance can help.5
Does Medicare Pay For Dental Work?
Generally, no. Routine dental care, such as cleanings, fillings, or dentures are not covered under most Medicare plans. But if you have a specific Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), you may have access to limited dental coverage. Under Part C, your dental services can be covered if they are deemed to be medically necessary and related to a covered, pre-existing medical condition.
How To Get A Dental Bill Reduced?
Although it can be embarassing, you can try to ask your dentist for a reduced bill. As mentioned above, some dentists are able to offer payment plans. While that won’t reduce your bill, it can make the payments somewhat more manageable by spreading them out over a set period of time, such as six months or a year, depending on the service and the total invoice amount.
Is A Dental Savings Plan a Good Idea?
If you’re looking for ways to pay for dental work when you can’t afford it, you may have run into dental savings plans. While these plans are not the same as having actual health insurance, members pay an annual fee for access to reduced prices on a variety of treatments.
Instead of paying for premiums and copays, dental savings plans allow users to have a sort of “membership” to a network of dentists in order to access more affordable dental care.
Depending on the annual cost of the plan and the coverage options, having a dental savings plan can be a smart idea. Not only does it reduce the financial burden of having dental insurance, but it allows you to have access to more affordable treatment options. You can still keep up with regular maintenance at a hopefully reduced price!
However, keep in mind that not all procedures are covered under dental savings plans, so if your teeth are prone to decay or other issues, it may be worth it to invest in more expensive coverage. If that is not an option, you may have to rely on emergency loans or credit cards when a dental emergency strikes.
Choose Max Cash to Pay for Dental Bills When You Can’t Afford it
Can’t afford to pay for dental work? From regular maintenance to expensive surgeries, you can get the financial help you need online or over the phone with no hassle.5 Max Cash can help you get connected to your options today! Check out some of the benefits of working with Max Cash:2 5
- Expectional Service When You Need it Most
- Secured and Unsecured Options
- Bad Credit May Not be an Issue5
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Ready to see if you qualify for the money you need to pay for dental work? Use this 24/7 online form to get started at your convenience, not ours.2 5
