Financing Dental Work: Your Options Without Insurance
Did you know that approximately 80% of Americans delay getting the dental care they need, primarily because of the costs?
Dental work can be expensive, especially if you have serious oral issues, yet getting the work done is critical. How do you pay for the dental work you need if you don’t have dental insurance?
One option is through financing dental work. Many dental clinics offer several financing options, but you’ll need to ask your dentist to learn more about the services they offer.
Here is a guide to help you understand some of the financing options to allow you to get the dental work done that you need.
The Cost of Dental Work
When you dental work, it’s also smart to look for an affordable dental care clinic before choosing a dentist. Dental costs can vary a lot by region, dentist, and services, and you might want to visit several dentists for quotes.
If you visit a few dentists, you might encounter fees for seeing the dentists, but you’d be able to get a few quotes to compare. There’s a good chance that you’ll see some differences in the costs for the same services.
Dental work is never cheap, though, no matter what dentist you go to. Dentists must go through a lot of education to learn their skills, and they must invest in a lot of expensive equipment.
The result is that dental work is costly. For example, if you ever need a root canal, you’ll likely spend at least $1,000 for this procedure. If you need a dental crown, you might spend $1,000 to $1,500.
Even getting a cavity removed and filled is costly. On average, you might spend $50 to $300 per filling. If you need several, you might spend well over $1,000 getting these services.
The Importance of Not Delaying It
Because dental work is costly, many people delay getting the work. While delaying the work can help you save money now, you’ll probably end up spending more money in the long run.
When you delay getting the work done, you risk the problem worsening. With dental work, it costs less to fix small problems, while it costs more to fix larger problems.
Delaying often causes a small problem to turn into a large problem. So, while you’re saving money now, you will spend more later. Therefore, it’s usually better to get the work done now instead of procrastinating.
For example, suppose you need a cavity filling right now. Your dentist might tell you that it will cost $200. If you delay, the cavity might worsen and infect the roots of the tooth.
If this occurs, you might need a root canal and a dental crown, leaving you with a bill of well of $2,000. Can you see why delaying dental work is not a wise move?
Additionally, when you delay the work, you might spend more time getting the problem fixed when you eventually decide to fix it. It might require two or three visits instead of just one.
When you find ways to finance dental costs, you will likely avoid delaying your necessary procedures. As a result, you’ll probably save a lot of money in the long run.
The Financing Options You Can Find
As you can see, delaying work is not the best option. Instead, you might want to consider the financing options for dental work. Here are some of the options you might find as you research dental financing options:
Use Your Credit Card
The first thing to consider is your current credit cards. Do you have a credit card you could use to pay the dental expenses? If so, you might want to use that to pay for the services.
If possible, find a credit card with a 0% interest rate. If you have great credit, you could apply for a card like this and pay no interest at all on the charges.
Apply for a Dental Card
Some dental clinics accept dental credit cards as a form of payment. A dental credit card is a card you can use for dental expenses, and some even allow you to use them for medical expenses.
The good news about dental cards is that many offer a 0% interest rate for six to twelve months. If you can pay off your balance in full by this time, you won’t pay any interest on the charges.
Apply for a Dental Loan
You might not know that you can also apply for dental loans. You can find dental finance companies that provide loans specifically for dental expenses.
You might need good credit to qualify, but getting a loan like this offers the perfect way to finance your dental bills.
Ask the Clinic About Payment Plans
If you find the best dentist no insurance, you can ask them if they accept payment plans. While this is rare, you might find some dental clinics that offer this financing option.
To learn more about this option, ask your dentist if they offer financing plans for dental work. It never hurts to ask.
Purchase a Family Dental Plan
The last option is to find a dental clinic that offers family dental plans. A family dental plan is similar to dental insurance. You pay a premium for the coverage, and it lasts for one year.
Through a dental plan, the clinic might offer free dental cleanings and checkups. They might also offer discounts on all the services you need.
You’ll pay an annual fee for this, but you’ll likely save money if you need any dental procedures completed.
Financing Dental Work Offers a Way to Afford the Costs
When you can find the right options for financing dental work you need, you’ll be able to get the work done in an affordable manner.
Getting the work completed is vital for your oral health, yet being able to afford it is also important.
If you enjoyed this article about your options for affording dental care, you might like others on our blog. Check out the rest of our site today!
