6 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Dental Work

Good dental health is important. But, the cost of dental work can be prohibitive. A dentist shares six ways to cut dental costs.

People hate going to the dentist. The cost of dental work is one of the big reasons for that.

Dental treatment is expensive, especially in western countries. You if you neglect your dental problems you can end up paying a large amount of money for dental work.

Why is dental work expensive? There are various factors, including the cost of the materials used during the procedure and costs associated with instruments used. Also, dental work is often time-consuming and requires multiple appointments. The expertise of the dentist is also an important contributing factor to the cost of dental treatment.

Here are six ways to cut down on the cost of dental work:

1. Prevention

The age old saying “Prevention is better than cure” holds true for dental treatment. Most dental problems can be prevented by practicing good dental hygiene, which is comprised of brushing, flossing, rinsing after eating, avoiding snacking between meals, etc.

Related: Good Dental Hygiene is Money in Your Pocket

2. Regular dentist visits

Regular visits to the dentist does cost money, but they save you money in the long run.

Visiting a dentist regularly helps to identify dental problems in initial stages, which are much more cost-friendly to treat than treating them in advanced stages.

3. Immediate interception

Dental problems worsen over time, which requires more invasive procedures, and you end up paying more. Whenever you spot a dental problem, do not delay in getting the treatment done as the cost may escalate as the problem worsens.

Let’s take an example of tooth decay (dental cavities) and how the cost increases if you delay the treatment.

(source: Humana.com)

4. Dental coverage

Various types of dental coverage like dental insurance and dental plans help to reduce considerable cost of dental work. Most of these do not cover tooth whitening or dental implant cost and similar cosmetic procedures.

Make sure you read the fine print when selecting a dental coverage.

Related: Is Dental Insurance a Money-Saver or Just Another Expense?

5. Options

Always ask the dentist about the various treatment options for any needed dental procedure and associated costs, as often there are various treatment options available with specific advantages and disadvantages.

6. Dental tourism

For costly dental work, dental tourism can be utilized to get the treatment done in a country where the cost is substantially lower than western countries. The dentists are typically well-qualified and trained, but do your research before selecting a dentist.

You can also combine it with a vacation. Hence, the concept is known as dental tourism. Dental tourism is only feasible for costly dental treatment.

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Reviewed December 2021