A person’s oral health is one of the most overlooked, even neglected areas of health. This is due to various reasons. One of those reasons may be due to the fact that it can be easy to forget about or not pay attention to your oral health because it’s more difficult to see on a daily basis. That is, until it’s often too late. Another reason is cost, as regular health insurance does not include much, if anything, for dental care.
Many people also think that they don’t need to spend the money on a dentist when they can brush their teeth and floss at home. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough to maintain great oral health. Even with brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once per day, you can still develop gingivitis and gum disease. Compared to what you may pay at a doctor’s office for a visit, dental cleaning is very affordable even without dental insurance. With or without dental insurance, ensuring you get your recommended dental cleanings annually is worth the investment.
Cost Of Dental Cleaning Without Insurance
Not everyone has dental insurance, and that’s okay. Your local dentist should be more than willing to work with you on a plan so that you can still get your dental cleanings. Luckily, dental cleanings are relatively affordable when compared to the operations you may need in the future due to neglecting your oral health.
The pre-insurance cost for dental cleanings will vary depending on the dentist office. The amount of cleaning required can also influence the price. If you need to have a deep dental cleaning done, you can expect the cost to go up compared to a regular dental cleaning. Some deep dental cleanings will require more than one session, so keep that in mind as well.
The average cost of a dental cleaning in Texas ranges anywhere from $100 to $200. As mentioned earlier, factors such as the individual dentist office and the amount of cleaning required will influence this cost. New patients will usually need an initial examination that includes x-rays, so your first visit may go up to $300 or $400. Also, keep in mind that routine dental cleanings are recommended twice per year so it’s not like you are paying for a dental cleaning every month. If you set aside $20-$30 every month, you can easily save up to pay for a dental cleaning without insurance.
Cost Of Dental Cleaning With Insurance
If you do have dental insurance, make sure that you thoroughly review the coverage provided by the insurance. This will ensure that you aren’t caught off guard by out of pocket costs. Remember that dental insurance doesn’t quite work the same way as your health insurance. Your dental insurance plan will likely have an annual limit that insurance will pay for before you assume responsibility for any other costs. Otherwise, you can expect to always pay a certain percentage for dental services. The percentage you pay will depend on the service rendered.
Most, if not all, dental insurance plans pay for two dental cleanings per year. These are paid in full by your dental insurance company. You should take your current oral health into account when trying to decide if dental insurance is worth the cost. On average, dental insurance can cost anywhere from $15 to $50 per month. If you are quoted a monthly premium on the higher end of that scale and you have fairly good dental health, it may actually be more affordable to just pay out of pocket.
For other dental procedures like filling cavities and periodontal work, you can expect to always pay a percentage of the cost for the service. You can expect these services to have 70 or 80% of the cost covered by your insurance which may bring your co-pay down under $50. For procedures like crowns, implants, and root canals, only 50% or less may be covered.
At first, this may seem like a great deal. But if you need a lot of dental work done, you could easily reach your annual limit set by your dental insurance. Once you reach this annual limit, you are responsible for 100% of any further dental care costs until the next year.
Dental Insurances That We Accept
We accept a wide array of dental insurances, including the following:
- United Healthcare
- Guardian
- MetLife
- BlueCross BlueShield
- Cigna
- Careington
- Humana
- and more!
No Insurance? Join Our Dental Membership Plan
Never let the cost of maintaining good oral health keep you from getting the dental care that you need. If you don’t have insurance and you are worried about the cost, give us a call so we can discuss your options. Pickett Family Dental also has a dental membership plan to use CareCredit. This is a great way to finance your dental care, usually at 0% interest. If you’re ready to give your mouth the best dental care, schedule your appointment today.