Those on tight budgets are used to cutting back on necessary expenditure, and certain costly activities, such as the monthly dental check-up, may fall by the wayside, at least until something goes wrong and can no longer be easily ignored. However, finding an affordable dental practitioner can be an extremely tricky business, especially for those on low incomes, the elderly, disabled and those without dental insurance and access to credit. The current economic climate, which has seen thousands lose their jobs-and their insurance-has exacerbated the problem.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways in which you can seek out cut-price, or even free dental care. One way is to contact the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), who sometimes look for volunteers to take part in clinical trials related to dental or oral conditions.
There are also programmes offered by many health and social service agencies that provide free dental treatments for stricken patients unable to meet the cost of treatment. The dental healthcare professionals that work in these programmes volunteer their time and services for free, and are fully qualified.
You can also look investigate options through the American Dental Association, who will have a complete list of all dental schools in the US. Often, dental schools, as well as teaching hospitals and local universities provide what is known as ‘sliding-scale services’. This means that treatment can be received for a much lower, reduced fee. Look also for local community options, as some dentists will provide cut-price services in your area, and will sometimes provide treatment for free. As previously mentioned, many dentists also donate their time and services through various organisations to provide low-cost or free dental care, so be sure to keep an eye out for any such events in your area. Organisations such as Dentistry From the Heart and the Mission of Mercy dental clinic provide such services-and often for free- to the unemployed and otherwise uninsured.
For those who don’t qualify for free care, services and treatments are often provided at a fraction of the normal cost-and this can be as much as 1/10th of the usual cost of treatment. Check out the organisations online [] and look for upcoming events in your area.…
Tag: cheap
Oral Outsourcing – The Future of Cheap Dental Care?
Its no secret that healthcare and dental cost have risen steadily in recent years in many countries. Even the cost of a basic dental check-up can leave those on lower incomes, or even many middle income earners reeling, or even skipping this monthly routine. Dental healthcare professionals may wince at this, but what can you do if you are afraid that the check-up-and its concomitant findings- may end up digging a deeper hole in your finances than you can afford? Many private individuals now see dental health tourism as a legitimate-and affordable-solution to the problem of expensive dental care. After all, if a yearly holiday is still possible on your budget, why not solve two problems and book your dental treatment at the same time? Medical insurance companies have also rumbled to this, with many now offering “International Treatment Plans’ on their policies. And you don’t need to travel too far afield to avail yourself of such ‘tooth tourism’: Mexican dental clinics actively target US patients, and Costa Rica is now on the policy plans of some leading insurance companies. Meanwhile, dental practices in Eastern Europe are wooing British patients with overtures of dental care and cosmetic treatments at a fraction of the price they would pay at home.
Practices located in Asia have also wised up to the current trend, thereby extending the global reach of this phenomenon as well as extending choice to consumers.
Despite fears of lower standards of care and hygiene in the clinics of developing countries, many more people are taking the ‘have teeth, will travel’ attitude, and many in the industry see it as the future, believing that, as with all consumer issues, those thinking about undertaking dental tourism should do adequate research and avail themselves of all the relevant facts-and risk factors before signing up.
When you compare prices for certain treatments, it seems little wonder that more and more people are packing their toothbrushes. Take, for instance, a big procedure such as implants. In England a private (there are fewer and fewer NHS dentists in the UK now) dentist will up to 2000 for the procedure, as well as a consultation fee. By contrast, the same procedure cost around 550 in Hungary and the consultation is free.
For dentists, therefore, reality bites all over the world and with the sharp incisors of commerce. Your competition may not be just across the street. They may be on the other side of the world. For those of you facing this problem in the US try searching online [] to see what options you have first before thinking that you can’t afford any case – a simple trip across the border to Mexico might help more than you imagine.…
Cheap Dental Care – Advantages of a Dental School
All over America, people are seeking cheap dental care options to try to cut down the ever-increasing cost of dentistry. There are a number of different options available that can allow patients to save the most money possible.
Many patients choose savings plans, which are available nationwide from a vast number of dentists. In an attempt to find affordable care, others will try to negotiate cash discounts with dentists in their area. Still others will choose to visit schools for dentists-in-training. Visiting these schools can cut down the cost of dentistry work, and you will likely be treated with the most cutting-edge technology available. There are two advantages to visiting these schools.
Advantages of Affordable Dental Schools
The #1 benefit of such schools is that they perform dentistry at a reduced cost. Often, dentistry schools charge about half of the normal price of procedures. Some schools may offer particular procedures for free, but usually there are small fees to cover cost of equipment, tools, and x-rays. Even with these small fees, visiting a dentistry school may save you money.
Along with lower costs, these schools usually treat their patients with the latest technologies available. The dentistry field is constantly changing, so this type of specialized school will want to train its students with current technology. In some cases, you as the patient may get more advanced results than at an older, established dentist office.
Dentistry students are usually graded by the quality of their work, rather than by the speed in which they work. Therefore, the dentistry students may be more focused on getting your work done correctly than an established dentist would, whose priority may be to get you in and out the office as fast as possible.
Does this Cheap Dental Care Cost Quality?
The main concern people have about receiving dentistry from these schools is the quality of the work which will be performed. People often assume that because the person performing the procedure is a dentist, the work will be of a lower standard than of an established dentist. In reality, the work performed at a school for dentists-in-training often resembles that of an established dentist office. All work should be supervised and checked by a licensed professional in the field — the instructors are there to ensure that your procedures are performed properly.
Another factor that contributes to the quality of student dentistry is that the students are eager to make good grades. The importance of a high-quality procedure for the best grade possible is major incentive for dentistry students to perform well on all patients they treat.
At these schools, cheap dental care does not always cost quality. Still, you may want to investigate the disadvantages of the schools — visiting a certified dentist with an affordable plan is usually the safest option for the highest quality care. A discount plan can save you as much or more as you would save at a school of dentistry.…
Cheap Dental Care Treatment For Contagious Cavities
Do you know that cavities are contagious? Similar to other diseases, a cavity infection may have a permanent effect on your children’s teeth — you may even pass this infection to your kids if you are not careful! The costly effects of this decay may may lead to not so cheap dental care for your family. Read on for surprising details about how cavities spread.
Know the Facts
Studies show that dental decay is the number one chronic health problem among children. This decay may even appear as early as your child’s first baby tooth, so do not waste time gaining professional but cheap dental care for even the littlest members of your family.
You may notice that you can spread a cold to your kids, but do you know that your children can catch your cavities too? Dental decay is similar to other chronic diseases — the result of a transmissible infection by bacteria — but preventative cheap dental care and a few lifestyle adjustments may slow the spread of cavities from you to your kids.
What is Dental Decay?
This decay is the development of cavities within teeth. Cavities form when bacteria in an adult or child’s mouth combines with sugars in foods and drinks to form a hardened acid that eats holes in the enamel of teeth. When these holes fill with bacteria, they can cause much pain for you or your child — if your child is in pain, you may want to provide them with the care you can afford at a qualified general or pediatric dentist as soon as possible.
The Bacterium at Fault
Cavities are commonly caused by a contagious bacterium, Streptococcus mutans. This bacterium is continually spread from adults to children, similar to the common cold. For some reason, adults do not spread this type of bacteria to each other, but it is typically spread from adult to child.
Effects of Cavities on your Children
Chronic tooth decay may result in premature baby tooth loss — this loss may cause your children’s other baby teeth to move, blocking openings for their adult teeth to come in! The result of childhood of tooth decay may be a future of costly, crowded, crooked adult teeth if not addressed with cheap dental care.
Cavity Misconceptions
Did your parents or dentist tell you that sugary sweets caused your cavities? Did you believe that there was a direct connection between how many fillings you had growing up and how much candy you could eat while your parents were not watching? Maybe you were labeled as “soft-toothed,” and heard that you were destined for multiple cavities. These reasons for cavities may not be completely correct. New research may indicate that your child’s level of exposure to the streptococcus mutans infection may contribute to the amount of cavities they develop.
A contagious cavity infection, however, can actually be spread through kissing your child, sharing eating utensils, or other daily interactions, such as speaking closely to your child, that may cause even a small drop of your saliva to transfer mouths.
Prevention Methods
The best prevention of the spread of cavities in your household is often to get proper preventative care for yourself and your spouse. Dentists say that if you do not have access to regularly scheduled dental care every 6 months to a year, you may be spreading streptococcus mutans every time you kiss your child!
Another key prevention method is to ensure that your kids are exercising adequate oral hygiene themselves, and to take the time to train them appropriately. Dentists say that until your children reach age eight, they often do not have the motor skills to remove all plaque themselves with their toothbrush — double check your kids’ teeth after they brush to make sure every tooth has been cleaned!
Research that indicates the contagious nature of cavities is causing parents and children to think twice about family oral hygiene and investigating cavity prevention methods and cheap dental care. You may care about your kids’ oral health more than your own, but be sure to exercise proper hygiene yourself to halt the spread of chronic dental decay. Your kids and your own mouth will thank you!…