One of the common reasons young adults will say they skip the dentist is because of concerns about how they will pay for treatment. Millions of Americans do not have dental insurance. Luckily, there are other solutions for paying for dental treatments. For example, financing can help provide money for larger dental treatment plans, and some dental offices even provide membership programs that cover general dentistry or preventative care. In this article, we will cover the different payment options for dentists. If you live in Chicago and are looking for a family dentist and have concerns about insurance or payment options, we would love to discuss options with you. Here at Dental Town of Chicago, our offices work with third-party financing options, we offer our own internal membership programs, and we accept most major insurances.
How Does Dental Insurance Work
While every plan differs, it is important to understand some basics about dental insurance. Defining terms like “deductible” and “co-pay” can help patients understand how much they will need to pay out of pocket when they visit the dentist. Most dental insurance plans will break down dental treatments into different categories. It is common for preventative care (exams, cleanings, and checkups) to be mostly or fully covered. That said many plans have deductibles. A deductible is a set amount of money a person has to pay before their insurance coverage begins. Many other insurance plans include co-pays that are determined based on the type of procedure you are getting. A co-pay is an amount or percentage the insurance will pay for. So for example, a patient might pay half and the insurance might cover the other half.
How Expensive Is Going To The Dentist If You Don’t Have Insurance
Pricing for dental treatments differs based on the treatment and where you live. It is very common for basic treatments like your routine exams and cleanings to be lower priced when compared to secondary visits your dentist might recommend. Anything that requires the creation of a dental implement like a crown, bridge, or implant, will often cost more because of the cost of manufacturing that item and installing it.
What Are Dental Memberships?
Some dental offices offer membership programs similar to gym memberships. These programs include basic treatments like cleanings and usually other benefits like discounts on simple cosmetic treatments (teeth whitening for example). Like a gym membership, these are often paid routinely. The goal of these plans is to foster and reward patient loyalty and to encourage patients to make their two trips each year to the dentist.
Dental Membership Program in Chicago
Dental Town Chicago offers the Image Dental Card which is our membership that covers your cleanings and X-rays each year and provides other benefits for other treatments. If you are interested in learning about this plan, the insurance plans we accept, or other payment options, please contact our team.