Emergency Dentistry Without Insurance: 4 Important Things to Know

In an ideal world, you would never have to worry about needing emergency dental care. Sadly, reality is often far from ideal; cracked teeth and other urgent dental issues can occur all too easily, and they can strike at virtually any time. If you don’t have dental insurance, then being aware of what options are available when an emergency occurs is absolutely vital. Below are 4 important things you need to know about getting emergency dental care while uninsured.

1. It’s Best for Your Wallet to Have the Problem Dealt with Quickly

You may be worried about how much emergency dentistry will cost, but it’s important to do what you can to get the care you need. Oral health issues usually grow worse the longer they stay untreated. For example, an infection in your tooth could start to spread to other parts of your mouth. More advanced dental emergencies typically require more advanced care – which tends to carry a higher price tag.

In short, even if you don’t have dental insurance, it’s better for your wallet if you seek treatment quickly rather than risk the development of even more severe issues later.

2. Many Dental Practices Offer Financing

Since not everyone has dental insurance, many practices offer alternate ways to make their services affordable. One particularly common option is third-party financing through companies like CareCredit and Sunbit. First, you sign up for a financing plan that matches your budget. Then, you pay for your dental treatment in a series of installments.

Financing can be convenient for uninsured patients since they don’t have to worry about covering the entire cost all at once. As such, you can get whatever treatments are recommended for restoring your oral health without straining your bank account.

3. You Might Qualify for Medicaid or CHIP

If you don’t have insurance, you may start thinking about taking advantage of government resources to pay for necessary dental treatments. Medicaid can help you pay for emergency dental services (though coverage for additional types of dental care is only available for individuals under the age of 21). The CHIP program can also help pay for certain dental services for children who are 18 or younger. The details vary per state, so check to see what’s available in the event of an urgent dental issue.

4. The Most Affordable Emergency Treatment is One You Don’t Need

If you’re worried about being able to pay for emergency dental care, one of the best things you can do is avoid needing such treatment altogether. You can’t predict and prevent every dental issue, but your personal risk for emergency situations will be much lower if you take common-sense precautions like wearing a mouthguard while playing sports or staying away from ice cubes and any other hard food that can crack your teeth.

Do you have other concerns about emergency dental care and the costs associated with it? You can always reach out to your dentist to see what kind of advice they have to offer.

About the Author

Dr. Henry Lu loves being able to help individual patients as well as his community as a whole by offering high-quality dental care. He studied dentistry at the Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine. His Dallas practice, Skillman Family Dentistry, accepts same-day appointments for emergencies. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Henry, please visit his website or call (469) 998-9822.