Getting Drilled At The Dentist?

“You only have one set of teeth, better take care of them,” my mother was always saying.

Man, I wish I listened to her now. Don’t get me wrong — I do brush twice a day, and don’t drink too many sodas, but lately, I have been experiencing a weird feeling on the one side of my mouth. It’s not painful, but it sure is annoying. I did a self-diagnosis online, and it looks like I might suffer from tooth abrasion (from brushing too hard) on my right six-year molar.

“Why don’t you go to the dentist,” you ask? Well for starters, I don’t care for pain. Secondly, I just dumped a bunch of money down on my rent, car insurance, and my upcoming trip to Hawaii (got to have that, right?). This leaves me with very little expendable income, and you never know with these insurance policies — am I going to walk out $20 or $800 poorer? I did some research and found out some money-saving techniques for keeping your teeth healthy:

Choose an independent dentist. Most dentists work out of clinics, which often offer extended hours and have several dentists available at any given time. Convenient? Yes, but it comes at a price, which is passed onto the patients. Not cool! To avoid being overcharged, go to a dentist who owns their own practice. Their prices for many procedures are usually much less, but you might have to set up an appointment, and wait. In pain!

Get another opinion. Don’t like the price of your dentist’s expensive and unnecessary procedure? Well then, get another professional opinion. He’s not the only one in the game. You might have to pay for both consultations (most offer them for free) but you might also find out that first dentist was trying to get some new golf clubs out of you, when all you needed was a cheap filling. This is pretty common!

Shop around. Braces and mouth surgery are extremely pricey. Without dental insurance you can expect to pay more than $6,000 for braces, and surgery may even cost more. You wouldn’t buy a car off the first lot you visit, so why do it with something as important as your teeth. Also, ask about payment plans if they offer them. This will allow you to pay your bill off slowly — $6000 is a huge chunk of change to pay off all at once.

Ask a ton of questions. Many people never doubt their dentist. Big mistake! If the dentist suggests an expensive root canal, don’t just assume that they know best, and that’s that. Ask for a detailed explanation of why they are suggesting this treatment and find out all the alternatives before you sign anything. If you feel pressured, leave! It’s your right.

Look into discount dental plans. Don’t be misled — this is not dental insurance. These plans do, however, offer a nice markdown on many standard and elective dental treatments. They are reasonably priced, and can help save you money on everything from cleanings to fillings. Use them if your boss doesn’t care enough to get you a proper dental plan. Employees hate bosses like this, but what are you going to do —have your teeth fall out?

Before you walk through those doors, load up on everything they’re going to throw at you! Find out about procedures, pricing and insurance issues, etc. — this way you’ll be a better competitor in the dental game of chess. Remember: ask a million questions, and be prepared to do some price shopping. I know you want to keep your teeth until you’re 90 (or longer) but it doesn’t mean you have to be drilled twice.