Updated: 2/27/2020
A press release from KY3 in Springfield MO, reported that emergency room visits have increased due to a lack of affordable dental care. The article reports:
With no dental coverage and no way to afford a dentist appointment, many patients end up in pain and at the ER. In St. John’s Hospital’s ER, it’s the type of case that comes up many times each day: a patient with a terrible toothache.
‘”We’re providing a temporizing treatment, whether it’s to control the pain or, if it’s an infection, to help suppress an infection,” said Dr. Ted McMurray, medical director of St. John’s Emergency Trauma Center.The ER can’t treat the root of the problem, however. Still, for patients 20 to 39 years old, dental cases make up more than 7 percent of all ER visits in Greene County. They make up 10 percent of all Medicaid visits, and a whopping 37 percent of all uninsured visits.’
The report goes on to mention the nebulous place of dental care in the recent health care reform bill. Finding dental care, however, isn’t as impossible as it may seem. A discount dental plan allows you to meet your 3 biggest needs:
- See a dentist immediately
- For a lower cost at the dentist
- And a low monthly cost
If you’re experiencing dental pain, don’t go to the emergency room! You’ll get a big bill and only some temporary treatment. Go to 1Dental.com and purchase an emergency dental plan and make an appointment with the dentist ASAP!
I would never sign up for a dental discount plan. They may advertise a host of lower fees but many times you end up paying more. That is a whole different can of worms. How can a dental office running at 50 to 70% overhead discount services 50% to 70% and more. If you want the best dentistry negotiate with your private practioner and pay cash, check or Credit card. Dental insurance is a oxymoron. Like Jumbo Shrimp.
Hi DentalPolitics,
I’m not sure how much you’ve looked into dental discount plans, because all 50,000+ dentists in the Careington network are actually contracted to give substantial discounts to our members, and the full list of prices that they use is available to anyone on our website. You can see the full fee schedule here.
The concept of a dental discount plan was actually started by 2 dentists in 1979. It benefits dentists because it brings a lot more patients into their office, and they also don’t have to waste an exorbitant amount of office time filing claims and submitting paperwork. Most dentists will not just give an individual a huge discount as you suggest, because they have no reason whatsoever to do that. However, many dentists do give discounts to people on a specific plan because it guarantees that they will get more patients through the plan.
You’re welcome to avoid dental plans if that’s your preference, but the more than 8 million members on the Careington 500 Series plan are quite satisfied with how much money they’re saving through us. Dental insurance may be an “oxymoron,” but a discount plan is not the same as insurance.
Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns (though I find it interesting that you copied part of this very blog post, including the photo, and pasted it directly onto your blog). Feel free to give us a call if you have any questions, and we’d be happy to get you signed up on the plan if you’d like to give it a try.