Oral health care has a direct impact on your general health, making it crucial for you to find excellent dental care that is suitable for you and your family. Unfortunately, hunting for a place that fits your budget as well as your needs can be a frustrating task, especially if you want a clinic that can maintain exemplary quality of work without drilling more holes in your wallet than your teeth.
Skipping out on your regular dental visits should not be an option as it is necessary to maintain a healthy mouth. Fortunately, there are numerous low-cost care options for those who think that dental care is beyond their reach.
Here are a few tips:
Tip #1: Take Advantage of Local, Low-Cost Clinics
Low-cost health facilities are typically funded by the federal government, so this is the next best option if you’re looking to find quality dental care on a tight budget. While the services they offer are not as comprehensive, these clinics are still excellent options for minor treatments such as regular cleanings, fillings, root canals, and dental crowns. There are tools available online where you can enter your zip code to search for the nearest dental clinic near your area.
Tip #2: Take Advantage of Student Discounts or Promotional Rates
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to afford braces for your children, you can ask your local dentist whether they offer a promotional rate students. These are not the same as student-based discounts on insurance plans, but rather, select dentists may find it reasonable to offer an additional discount for those families with immediate needs and little-to-no means to achieve them. This may be difficult to find online, but a good place to look is at national or franchise dental clinics.
Tip #3: Take Advantage of Dental Schools
There are roughly 65 accredited dental schools in the U.S., all of which are staffed by talented, graduating students who are overseen by their professors and professional dentists. While you may not get the most extensive services here, this is one of the best places to receive general oral care as dental schools offer their services for half the price of a traditional dental clinic. Since these schools are accredited and as mentioned, all practitioners are watched over by their professional counterpart, you can have peace of mind knowing that you will still be able to receive top-notch quality care.
Tip #4: Take Advantage of Low-Income Options
Families with special needs and a low income are offered multiple programs and clinics that are federally funded, such as HRSA health centers or privately funded free clinics that offer either discounted or free dental care. There are a number of nonprofit programs and groups that also cater to help struggling families in need, such as Dental Lifeline Network which offers free dental care for the elderly and disabled; Remote Area Medical, and even American Indians and Alaska Natives can find support from the Indian Health Service. You can also visit toothwisdom.org, which was created by Oral Health America to help low-income families locate affordable dental clinics.
If you’re looking for affordable dentistry, get in touch today to see how we can help!