How to get free dentistry without dental insurance - All About Dental, Pet, Health and Motorcycle Insurance

How to get free dentistry without dental insurance

Meta: You want to keep your smile bright but not having dental insurance? Consult our following suggested tricks for making treatment more affordable!

Introduction

According to Dr. Robert S. Minch in Lutherville, Md, when you get older, your teeth will be more susceptible to fracture and decay. Also, old fillings can weaken your teeth. In this case, dental health is what you will need.

What will you do without dental insurance?
However, many people in their 50s and 60s have no dental insurance since they work part-time, are self-employed or have retired.

And Medicare doesn’t cover dental services, such as fillings, cleanings, dentures, tooth extractions, dental plates or others. Part A will just pay for certain dental care you get when being hospitalized.

Though adults’ dental coverage isn’t mandated, you can purchase it in states, except in Washington, when buying a medical plan through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

People without dental insurance can look into the possibilities they may not have considered.

For instance, AARP offers dental coverage to those over 50, Costco provides it for the executive membership, TRDP is for people who served in the military and veterans or Ehealthinsurance.com will be also a great option.

In case none of them routes work, there are still following ways for having good dental care at a reasonable cost:

Search for the dentist with a payment arrangement 

Many current dentists supply a payment plan that replaces insurance. Over time, you will pay an annual fee with no financing and interest.

In Miami, Florida, a private-practice dentist called Dr. John Addison brings affordable dentistry to patients through services of the company Quality Dental Plans (QDP).

He says that QDP will cut out the insurance, known as the middleman, and soon create savings for his patients directly. Here, there won’t be denials of coverage as well as co-pays, procedures, minimums that aren’t covered.

Furthermore, with only $299 fee to become an annual member, each year, his patients will get free two cleanings, a set of X-rays, one comprehensive exam, one teeth whitening as well as 20 percent off most of the other services.

For another example, with over 200 branches in nine states, Great Expressions Dental Centers offers the own payment plan for uninsured patients.

A patient will only pay $59 per year and get one free annually exam, a set of X-rays and 35 percent off care. He or she can use that coverage as often as needed without limits.

In case you don’t find out any local dentist offering an affordable-payment plan, look for other pro-bono services.

Join a charity event

For instance, volunteers of the national nonprofit, the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO), are committed to assisting the communities they serve by holding free service days.

Though members of ADSO operate for-profit corporations, they still donate time to help underinsured people in the area.

A dental event with free dental care
Quinn Dufurrena, ADSO’s executive director in Denver, Colorado, shows an example of Pacific Dental Services. That’s the annual day called Smile Generation Serve Day which generates over $1.5 million worth of pro-bono dental services.

Generally, ADSO provides patients everywhere with millions of dollars in yearly free care through activities varying from in-office weekend visits to several mobile dental clinics.

Typically, its Heartland’s Free Dentistry Day allows many dentists to bring free care to more than 3,000 people in need yearly.

Besides, you can also search for other events offering low-cost or free dentistry at America’s Dentists Care Foundation, Dentistry From the Heart or on dental association website of each state.

Visit a dental school

Another way is going to dental schools. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, many dental schools also provides reduced cost and good-quality dental treatment.

Most of them own clinics that allow dental students to gain real experience of treating patients under the supervision of licensed and knowledgeable dentists. And you can search for the list of accredited dental education programs here.

Minch, a trainer at a dental school, says when dental students have their work observed by a supervising dentist, patients will be able to have longer check-ups than visiting private practice dentists.

Go to retail dental outlets

Many current retail dental clinics located in grocery or merchandising stores provide comfortable care at an affordable cost.

Some places such as Coast Dental, Gentle Dental, Bright Now Dental, and others may be a good option for people with no dental insurance.

A typical model of retail clinics
Addison, a two-year worker at Coast Dental, says these retail clinics often supply low-cost services for patients. The benefit is that they can deal with multiple insurance plans, whereas some others can only take those who are insured by major carriers.

Take preventative measures

A cosmetic dentist in Westfield, N.J. called Dr. Joseph Banker suggests paying more attention to mouth care routine as a cost-effective way to decrease the number of dental visits.

You should regularly brush your teeth at least twice a day for about three minutes and use dental floss at least once a day to keep bacteria and plaque in check, decrease gum inflammation and avoid decay.

Also, you can streamline that task with the help of a water flosser. For better cleaning, you can use an electric toothbrush to brush along the tongue and teeth to prevent bacteria from accumulating on the tongue.

Moreover, you should rinse your mouth with antibacterial mouthwash every morning, and use a fluoridated one every evening to prevent cavities.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a variety of options for receiving good dental care at a reasonable cost in case you don’t have dental insurance. Don’t hesitate to list other ways you know below. Thanks for reading!