Monday, May 19, 2008

Savings to Smile About

Going to the dentist can not only be painful to your mouth, but your wallet too. Many insurance agencies don't include dental benefits leaving you to find your own plan. For college students, uninsured individuals and anyone willing to open wide, this one's for you.

This Bites
Tooth whitening has become a ritual for some and too expensive for others. How about discount dental services? For the basic cleaning you are charged anywhere from $50-$90. Throw in a couple x-rays and you're looking at a bill for almost $150! Do you get your routine check up every 6 months as recommended? Face it, we don't even floss like we are supposed to.

Every dentist and dental hygienist has to learn somehow. That means there is a school where they learn their job responsibilities, right? In fact, these are often 'laboratories' for students to develop skills and learn the trade.


The Discount
Once you find a dental hygiene school, contact them and inquire about their discounted services. The way it works is by appointment usually. Your hygienist cleans your teeth, looks them over before their teacher checks them out. The teacher simply verifies the findings of the student and is a certified hygienist already. The dentist will then come by to perform a quick dental exam. Some schools provide orthodontia work for a minimal fee. Fortunately, I have not needed this later service.

My visits are about three hours, included x-rays, and still had the free samples (floss, toothpaste, brush, and mouthwash). Guess how much they charged me? Nothing! All they asked for was an appointment in 6 months which I gladly accepted and it's kept me smiling since then. In all, my FREE teeth cleaning and x-rays has saved me $300 and I'm due for my next check up in a month.

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