dental insurance?

Question

im 17 i havent been to the dentist in like 10 years i had a very bad experience but now my teeth are crooked but i dont have dental insurance but im turning 18 in two months and im getting my inheritance money and was wondering do i need insurance to go to the dentist or can i just pay cash?

Answer 1

Heck yeah, we will take your cash!!!!!!!!!!

We like that better than insurance. No red tape.

But seriously, the people who are telling you to wait for insurance and that you will pay less in the long run with insurance, or that you will be spending the insurances money, don't know much about dental insurance. They usually have waiting periods, maximums, and only pay a percentage of your dental work.
Actually, you pay for it, because they pay with the premiums you paid them.

Answer 2

Cash works. Most of the time, the only way to get really good dental coverage is through your employer. When you buy dental insurance as an individual, there are deductibles and co-pays and annual maximums that you need to analyze in order to figure out when and if you will actually save money by having insurance coverage. Some of the premiums I have seen make it almost impossible to realize any positive cash flow from the related policy. I mean, at $60 a month with $100 deductible and $1,000 annual maximum, you will have to take $820 out of your own pocket before you realize one penny of "profit" or net gain from your dental insurance.

Then you have to calculate the effect of co-payements. Check the figures and do the math yourself.

Be cautious about buying or choosing a plan where you do not have any choice about the dentist you can see, because you just might not like the dentist(s) listed on the plan and then you are stuck for a year until you can get out of it.

Be cautious about buying a so-called "dental discount plan," often mentioned on Yahoo!, since they also have restrictive lists and they really are not dental insurance at all. Just be careful and understand what you are buying.

For many people who just can't get good dental insurance, a regular savings plan sort of like a Christmas Club with $20-25 a month deposited into a dedicated account will pay off when you examine the return over a lifetime. You may run way over your savings at first, but once you get your mouth straightened out, your annual expenses should not be more than a couple hundred dollars most of the time.

For major treatment, dental insurance is no great deal anyhow. They limit you to $1,000-1,500 per year, subject you to deductibles, co-pays, etc. Imagine if you were in a car accident and your carrier said, "Yep, it's a total loss. Here's a check for $1,500. Good luck coming up with enough money to buy a new car." Dental "insurance" should usually be considered a payment arrangement where you give your dollars to a large company who holds onto them until you say the secret word and manage to get a few of them back.

Answer 3

Cash will mean less hassle for the dentist – the other answerers are right. They’re also right about preventive care (yearly visits) being pretty inexpensive. However, if you are going to require surgery or extensive dental rehabilitation, you might want to get insurance. Some health plans that target younger people are including dental and vision coverage for less than $80 a month. These are high-deductible plans but it would be easy to do the math and see if they would be worth the investment.

However, most dental plans have a cap of what they will pay which will fall short of the $2,000 to $8,000 you’ll spend on braces or other straightening treatments.

Try MostChoice.com. You can review online health insurance plans in your area and talk with multiple insurance agents without cost or any obligation to buy anything from anyone.

You can find it here: http://www.mostchoice.com/health-insurance.cfm

Good luck with your dental care,
Barnes@MostChoice

Answer 4

You didn't explain what your bad experience was, or why your parents did not take you to the dentist in 10 years.

But dentists are fine with cash, in fact they save money by not having to produce claims and send them in. Also, they get paid right away, as opposed to insurance which can take in excess of 45 days.

At 18 you have not established credit, and unless the inheritance you are expecting is substantial, you will not be able to ask for a payment plan at a dentist or orthodontist. Get the worst problems fixed right away - gum disease and decay - and then work towards straightening your teeth.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Do some research on the dentists in your area. Try www.ratemds.com & see if you can find one with a high rating or other internet sources such as that.

Then you can go to www.dentalplans.com & type in their name & see if or what plans they take. Look through the plans & you can sign up there on the spot. They cost between $99 & about $130 for 15 months. They also start with a couple of days after signing up. The dentists that accept these plans agree in advance to accept the fees for each plan. Things like braces & stuff will not be covered. But things like x-rays, consultations, & fillings will be discounted greatly depending on the plan & I know from experience you have to go through all of that first before they start fixing the asthetic look of your teeth. Good Luck

Answer 6

You can pay cash if you want to. Getting dental insurance is really expensive now days. There are alternatives to getting insurance like dental discount programs where you save money when you do go to the dentist. Check out Ameriplan. They can save you up to 80% on dental work.

http://www.nationwidedentalandhealth.com

Answer 7

you can pay cash, but you should be able to get insurance through the state at 17 for free.

Answer 8

You can just pay cash. My suggestion would be to get an initial exam and find out exactly what needs to be done. When you find out shop around for the best "cash pay discount" you can find. Prayers =)

Answer 9

you can just pay cash, but it may be very expensive depending on what you are having done. If it's just a cleaning, it's not much, but if you are going to get braces, that can cost thousands. Will you be getting a job soon with benefits? If yes, you are better off waiting so you don't have to spend your own money.

Answer 10

you can pay cash but its going to be pretty expensive. Get the insurance and pay less in the long run!!