[‎USER]

What is the most cost effective way to get a lot of dental work done? I’m talking bone grafts, serious surgery. Some kind of marketplace insurance?

Care credit or a different credit card?

A personal loan?

[Lisa]

Definitely look into going to a dental school. I’m a hygienist & I think this would be your best option financially.

[Cindy]

Home equity line maybe? Care credit may only allow 12 months no interest anyway and usually won’t lend a huge amount

[Laura]

Most dental insurance only cover a yearly max of 1k-1,500. Though they also get a negoitated rate.

I’d look for a University Dental School – I know most have long waits though.

Your best bet may be dentures.

[Penny]

Go to a dental college. They have discounted rates and do excellent work.

[Ash]

I don’t recommend care credit cuz the interest rate is so high. Unless you can afford the monthly payments, just check before you go for it

[Gemma]

I had an excess of $25,000 worth of dental work done at our dental school, these young doctors are overseen by a seasoned older doctor and they do a tremendous job, it takes them longer and you’re gonna sit there for hours, but it was a quarter of the price

[Roxy]

Mexico! Sometimes they can even take usa insurance if you have any… like mentioned above Algodones has numerous dentists to choose from.

[Darla]

I’ve had extensive dental work done. Insurance hasn’t paid much of it.
I have a treatment plan to get done over the next 4 years. I love my current dental team but moving out of state in 2029.

My thoughts:
Get multiple extractions and grafts done at once. It will take months to heal. I would do one side first, then the other.

This way, you still can chew on one side.

Talk with your providers about cash discounts.
An extraction with a bone graft, implant, and crown has been about 5k per tooth.

Crowns are running about $400-$800.
I need to get another root canal but I’m going to an endodontist this time will find out the cost later this month.

I save as much cash as possible and complete phases of the plan as I can afford.

[Kristina]

See if they accept discount plans like Cigna Access or Aetna access that could buy you the insurance fee schedule instead of the fees in full then if needed see if they accept care credit or have payment plan options

Marketplace is a waste of money you will need to watch out for waiting periods and they may still down code or deny services not to mention a yearly maximum of benefits.

I am a treatment plan coordinator and do all I can to save my patients money and also get case acceptance for high dollar plans

[Dixie]

U have not provided enough information. I did work in a dental practice 38 years. Attended Case Western Reserve Dental program to place restorations.

Owned a dental lab and fabricated various dental devices. Are u possibly suffering from bone loss due to gum disease.? That may be why u ask about grafts???

Honesty most dental insurances will only cover 1000$ maybE $1800 a year.

Medical might chip in a bit. As they considered if many people can suffer wearing a denture so can others. Implants on ur list.

Don’t even consider if u smoke, or take meds for bone loss like osteopenia. I know folks who took Heloc loans and used for dental.

I would not go to a dental school .. why? Because I worked in then during my clinical days. And u dont always get what is best for ur situation

[Harmon]

Forget about insurance. A lot of them don’t cover the bone graft or membrane. If you buy a private plan, it may have a waiting period or missing tooth clause.

Also, they all have a max. The norm is about $1000-2000. This isn’t enough to cover the implant plus the crown and abutment that they have to put on top.

I tell our patients to try getting approved for a personal loan instead.

I like SoFi, Best Egg and Happy Money. Care credit is good for the zero percent interest but if you don’t pay it off they back date the interest to the beginning and charge over 30 percent on interest.

I don’t recommend Mexico either while I hear some people have had success with their work, I have seen many that haven’t.

And dentist in the US don’t like to touch work done in Mexico so they will refer you to a specialist that will charge 3x the normal amount.

Do you homework. Find a reputable doctor. Many dentist are willing to work out a discount for patients without insurance we personally offer 10-15% off. Get a second opinion.

Some doctors are a little aggressive with treatment planning. We also offer a complimentary second opinion and consult for implants with X-rays.

Ask what kind of implants their are using make sure it’s a reputable brand and please make sure you make a note of this somewhere because if you have issues down the line we will ask you what brand of implants you have.

Hope this helps and if you are located near Tucson we would be happy to give you another opinion!

[Charlene]

I agree with not enough info. A few implants? Full mouth implants? The later is big bucks. Care Credit interest rate is like 29% if you don’t pay off in 12 months.

I had my upper teeth removed in 2019, my lowers just this year.

My middle line dentures plus work is 7k.

Insurance paying half over 2 years of coverage (two benefit years)

[Susan]

Go to Mexico. I had full implants done 2 years ago. I could never have afforded that quality of dental work in the US

[Susan]

Try a Dental School. Then purchase a reasonable dental insurance most make you wait for a year before they cover big things.

Care Credit is great for dental work, see what you are approved for and if the dentist you work with accepts it.

If you get the major bone grafting etc done at a dental school, then have them suggest the next steps and who.

Good luck!

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