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 reduce dental costs.

by Dr. Mujtaba Ali

Woman sitting in dentist chair holding a credit card

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. 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 the costs associated with the instruments used. Also, dental work is often time-consuming and requires multiple appointments. The dentist’s expertise is also an important contributing factor to the cost of dental treatment.

So, how can you reduce dental costs?

Ways To Reduce 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, including brushing, flossing, rinsing after eating, avoiding snacking between meals, etc.

2. Regular Dentist Visits

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

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

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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.

Problem	Treatment	Cost
Early tooth decay	Amalgam filling	$50-$150
Advanced tooth decay	Capping	$500-$1,500
Tooth decay extending to pulp	Root Canal Treatment	$500-$1,500
Tooth decay-causing extensive loss of tooth structure	Extraction and replacement	$1,500-$8,000

(source: Humana.com)

4. Dental Coverage

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

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

5. Options Exploration

Always ask the dentist about the various treatment options for any needed dental procedure and associated costs, as there are often various treatment options 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 in 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.

Reviewed July 2024