Dentists
 

Do all dentists require money up front before you get your teeth fixed. Or are some that just require the co pay like the doctors and then bill you. I know that you have a deductable. With the doctors you get billed for it.

since there are so many people that end up not being able to pay, our dentist requires you pay up front the portion that insurance isn't going to cover.....which really sucks since everything in dental work is so expensive and most insurance only covers 50% on things like crowns....

Might depend on if you are a regular client and that you pay your bills. IF you are a new client then the dentist may
not want to take the risk of not getting paid. I had some major dental work thAt was not covered by the insurance but my dentist knew that I would pay so not to worry. Set up a payment plan if you need to and if they can work something out with you.

Sandy

a lot of dentists have a third party financing system - like when you buy a car, you pay off the loan to a third party.

Dental insurance payments have not gone up since the 1960's - but costs sure have.

There's something called CareCredit that you can use and a lot of the time they will run specials like 90 days same as cash or for big purchases 180 same as cash. We used it in the eye care office I used to work in and it's like a credit card. You use it for dental or vision and it makes having those things done easier. You don't have to depend on the dentist to work out the arrangements. My son needed extensive work done and they wanted a 1/3 down and then payments on the rest. You get what you negotiate. Ask!

My dentist requires you pay your part up front. However, it wouldn't hurt for you to ask if they could be flexible with you, maybe half now and half next month, or something like that. The worst they could say is no.

My dentist charges until the deductible is met. I've always just paid before I leave the office, but I always have to ask them "what do I owe you?" I'm sure if I didn't they would bill me for any balances. There have actually been a couple of times over the last umpteen years that Carrie (reception/billing) has said let's just wait and see what insurance picks up, but those were situations where we didn't know if insurance would consider the work necessary or cosmetic.

'paying up front' was another new thing for me when we got a new dentist. The dental hygenist was another. Our old dentist did it all himself, well, he did have a receptionist that took care of billing and the paper work. The new chair is really neat, too - I could take a nap. I'm not too sure if I didn't doze off the last time. . . .

What an idea! It would be nice if the dentist had chairs like the nail salons did - it might be less nerve-wracking to get needles in the gums if my chair was rubbing my back while it happened.... lol