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root canals and empty wallets - anyone been there?
Just got back from the dentist and found out I need a root canal. Ugh. My insurance barely covers anything, and the cost is kinda shocking, you know? I'm thinking about payment plans or maybe some kind of dental credit thingy. Has anyone else had to deal with this? How'd you manage it without totally wrecking your budget? Any tips would be awesome right now...
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4 replies
Totally get the sticker shock - been there myself. But before jumping straight into dental credit, maybe double-check if your dentist offers an in-house payment plan first? I thought dental credit would be my best bet too, but my dentist actually had a no-interest installment thing that saved me from extra fees. Also, not to sound preachy, but sometimes getting a second opinion can help. My friend was told she needed a root canal, but another dentist found a simpler (and cheaper) fix...might be worth checking out.
Ugh, root canals...been there, hated that. Funny you mention second opinions though - has anyone else had a dentist get weirdly defensive when you bring up seeing someone else? Mine acted like I'd betrayed him or something, lol. But seriously, how do you even bring up getting a second opinion without making things awkward? I mean, it's my teeth and my wallet we're talking about here...
"Mine acted like I'd betrayed him or something, lol."
Haha, dentists can be weirdly territorial. I usually just say something casual like, "Hey, mind if I run this by another dentist too? Gotta keep my wallet from crying..." Most get it, some don't - oh well.
I usually just say something casual like, "Hey, mind if I run this by another dentist too? Gotta keep my wallet from crying..." Most get it, some don't - oh well.
Yeah, dentists can get weirdly defensive about second opinions. I had a similar experience last year - needed a root canal and my insurance was basically useless. Ended up going with CareCredit, which wasn't ideal but at least spread out the pain financially. Just make sure you read the fine print carefully, because some of those dental credit plans have sneaky interest rates if you're late or miss a payment... learned that the hard way.