Cash price for dental cleanings?

[braumeister]

DW has had some serious dental issues in the last few years (related to a fall), so I looked up the records for the 3-year period 2013 through 2015.

Dentist billing: a little over $4,500
Insurance paid: about $2,200
We paid the difference, plus those 3 years of insurance cost a little over $1,000.

So the insurance is definitely worth it for us, partly because we can stay with our wonderful dentist. He has taken care of DW for nearly 40 years (me for over 25 years). His daughter followed in his footsteps and took over the practice a couple of years ago. He still comes in and works several days a week to help out and give her guidance (she's excellent herself), and it's just a wonderful experience to go there.

[TrvlBug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by explanade The dentist I had for years when I was employed proposed a dental implant and it would have been about $2900 out of pocket out of total $4200 charged under my previous employer insurance. So I could have had Cobra at like $800 a month to save $1300 in the total cost of the implant. Needless to say, I didn't go with Cobra and I went to a $21 a month plan which covered cleanings through a network which didn't include my existing dentist so I switched. The new dentist didn't mention anything about an implant but did refer me to a periodontist for a different tooth for possible oral surgery, which I did. There are dentists who advertise like $1400 for a dental implant around here but it's not clear if that covers all the procedures needed for an implant. The plan that my old dentist proposed was 2 or 3 procedures to be done over several months for that one implant. Anyways, I'll see if other dentists point out the need for an implant. Implants are probably discretionary since insurance doesn't cover most of it, dentists have to convince you that you need it. I remain unconvinced and it's been over 2 years since I was told I needed it.

When DH retired we had the option of Cobra for dental and Cobra for vision. Very small premiums for each so elected to go with both. As DH is of Medicare age, medical Cobra did not apply. Our yearly dental and vision Cobra premium is $1,500 for the both of us with $2K yearly dental for each of us. Assuming no teeth issues for me, insurance will make a few $$$, but DH will definitely use the $2K next year and maybe some $ early the following year.

We're already $3-4K into the implant process. DH had insufficient bone and needed a graft. He elected to go instead with stem cell procedure and recent x-rays showed good bone growth took place . Next step is early Dec with crown next year. He had the option of replacing his bridge, however, decided to go with implant.

[explanade]

Yeah my COBRA premium was for medical or it included all 3 for about $800 a month.

[TrvlBug]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi But - our dentist is great. He caught the cyst in my son's jaw that didn't show up on the regular x-rays... gave us the referral that led us to my son's jaw surgery this past Tuesday.

This is why I won't go to a 'cheap' dentist. We've been with our dentist for years and years and they are out of network so we always have to pay a few $ of the bill. She did however also catch a tumor in DH's throat necessitating throat surgery. Fortunately the tumor was benign.

[mn54]

If you live near a dental school and have more time than money I would look into going there. At the school that I teach at a routine cleaning is $30, $15 for seniors. 4 bitewing xrays are $10, $5 for seniors. Very good care but it takes more time.

[Rustic23]

$120, about 40 miles north of Houston.

[emerytura]

$140 in NJ, cleaning and exam.

[Sunset]

Our dentist has a discount plan, $450
Covers cleaning, exam, xrays if needed (which I think is once per yr) and 20% any work, for 2 people, twice a year.

So much like $112.50 per person visit.

[Options]

Careington is not insurance, but a discount plan. This plan, which costs $99/year, is what I intend to use:

https://www1.careington.com/MbrFeeSc...s/C500-507.pdf

Costs are cheaper compared to my long-time dentist's quoted cash discount price.

[brucethebroker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian S I have a discount plan for which I pay $59/year here in Phoenix. Cleanings cost me $57 (including a $12 sterilization fee) and the oral exam by the dentist costs me $25. All other services are discounted as well (IIRC, periodic bite wings are free.) A full set of X-rays costs $56.

$12 sterilization fee? Can I book an appt. for the dog?...................

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucethebroker $12 sterilization fee? Can I book an appt. for the dog?...................

Heck, I'll take one for myself... Actually, nevermind. I feel like "paying more is better" in that department for a variety of financial and non-financial reasons.

As for the OP's question, we pay $99 in Raleigh NC for the cleaning, exam, and x-ray special at our dentist. I think a cleaning and exam are about $99 without the x-ray so I guess the x-ray is a freebie. He's a great clinician and doesn't advocate unnecessary procedures which explains why we've been visiting him for a decade.

In fact, he's all about "hey there's just the start of a tiny area that might be some decay but let's put a watch on it and oh by the way get some fluoride toothpaste and see me in six months". Five years later and the watch is still on the same tooth.

In contrast, my parents in a nearby pricier suburb of Raleigh were paying almost $200 for a cleaning and exam (x-rays x-tra). Until they switched to my dentist.

[Corporateburnout]

$120 in the Boston area for cleaning and exam while X rays are an additional $60 once a year at the same dentist we've had for 25 years.

Very small cost for a good service and a peace of mind. There is no need to experiment with new dentists and dental schools to save a few bucks.

[DayDreaming]

$111 for cleaning + exam
$188 for cleaning + exam + x-rays

My dentist gives me a slight discount because I don't have insurance.
Central NJ area.

[athena53]

I just paid $114 in the KC area for cleaning and exam. I love my dentist. Through careful prevention (bite guard, prescription toothpaste, SoniCare, WaterPik, most of which he and his staff have suggested), most of my checkups are happy news, but I have 4 implants, a bridge and a few crowns and root canals. He's smart and a problem-solver and I want HIM keeping an eye on everything.

I looked into dental insurance but chose not to- I need 4 cleanings a year due to implants and only two are covered. What really annoyed me, though, was that every plan covers cleanings only for the first 6-12 months. I can understand that they don't want people to wait till they need 5 fillings before they buy dental insurance, but that also applies to people who have had continuous insurance and getting regular care for years. Finally, the annual max they will pay is pretty stingy- usually $1,500-$2,000 per year so their payment on major work is limited.

DH got Delta Dental- recommended by our dentist so I figured that was a good sign they paid claims without quibbling. They were fine till we moved across the state line and could NEVER get a human to change him to a policy for our new state after calling at least 5 times. (It can't be done on-line.) So, he had a policy in the wrong state for over a year. I cancelled it when he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. At least they did that right.

[sengsational]

For the past few years I've been using the "$99 special" coupons I'd get in the mail for new patients. I never found a dentist that way that didn't seem to be gold digging.

Recently I found a guy who offers a 'plan' with two exams, two cleanings, and x-rays as needed for $184/yr. You pay for the whole year at once, but of course works out to $92 per visit, given you end-up going twice within the 12 months after you sign-up. The initial visit you get a Panorex and comprehensive exam included. Everything else is a-la-carte, but the plan rates are discounted by 10% or 15% off of the normal rate.

[pjm-7]

My dentist in the Denver metro area is $92 cleaning an $58 for the exam. Four bite-wing x-rays is $75. They give a 5 percent discount for cash or check. I only get the bite-wings every couple of years. I don't want to be exposed to unnecessary radiation.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjm-7 I only get the bite-wings every couple of years. I don't want to be exposed to unnecessary radiation.

I used to be concerned about that, too.
But modern digital dental x-ray equipment gives you an extremely low dose. According to most sources I've seen, four bitewings are equal to the exposure you would get from a short airplane flight. Probably higher with older film-based equipment, but still low.

[explanade]

That's the thing, when you switch dentists because you switch or drop these dental insurance plans, you have to start over when they do an exam. Some charge more for the initial, new patient exam than the regular ones.

On those panorama ones, I think they charge more because they can or think they can. Plan I have doesn't cover those but one of the dentists did it anyways because I think they prefer it than the normal X-rays.

As far as I can tell, it's all electronic so they don't have materials costs for film, for the developer chemicals, etc. No consumables cost for them, though no doubt the equipment probably cost more when they first came out. Most practices should have long recovered the capital expenditure.

[sengsational]

Dentist around here are interested enough in acquiring new patients that they all pretty much give-away the initial Panorex and comprehensive exam for free. But that's around here. I get coupons in the mail all the time that include cleaning, Panorex and comprehensive for $99 (for new patients only). So it probably depends on the market being served (supply and demand).

[Montecfo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamaman Those paying a modest yearly fee are "discount" programs--not really insurance. My BCBS dental insurance is $33 per month, which includes 2 cleanings a year and a $1,500 max coverage per year. I recently had to have some minor dental surgery, so it's been worth it for me. And it's good to have if someone has to have a root canal and crown @ 50% coverage.

In the HR/benefits space, we often say dental insurance is not really "insurance" since there is so little cost actually covered. I tend to think most people would be better off with discount programs or just finding cash deals, unless you have a group plan that gives you a very low premium.

Just another view.