How many people here have fairly serious dental problems

[JanMichael]

that are not getting treatment because of the cost of dental care?

My wife has to have a root canal/crown on a tooth that she broke--we have good insurance. Even with that, our out of pocket expenses will still be pretty high, and this one procedure will use most of the insurance benefits for the year.

I wonder how many people just flat couldn't afford to have this taken care of.

On edit: there seems to be some confusion. We are taking care of this--just giving up a vacation (not whining, just saying that we can afford it with painless cutbacks)--the post is about how many people don't have anything more to cut back on.

[Jed Dilligan]

1. I know of two people who died from tooth infections

Scrape up the money somehow and do it--go into debt if you must. If she's in pain it's time to fix it.

[JanMichael]

4. oh, the root canal is scheduled for Wens.....

it's not a question of having it fixed or not--it's a question of how many people could afford this.

Seriously--people are going to pawn shops to buy gas, and not buying decent food at the grocery store. How in the hell can strapped people afford the dentist?

[Jed Dilligan]

6. My dentist gives me about a year to pay off my bills

without charging interest

[Wednesdays]

10. Shoot, you KNOW you can afford it

Quit playing around with us and get to the dentist. What's the matter with you?
EVERYONE can cough up $1150 for root canals and crowns at the drop of a hat, so what's your problem?
:eyes:

[JanMichael]

12. heh---try 1700 dollars, for the root canal and

crown combined.

Yeah. Fabulous, right?

[Wednesdays]

16. Well, *I* can get them for $1150

So I expect you to, as well.

[Gato Moteado]

17. it probably would cost you about $500 to do the job here in costa rica....

...our dental care is great down here. you could buy two plane tickets and stay in reasonable hotels for a week or two and she could have her dental work done. that way you could also have your vacation too for the same cost or maybe a little more than what the job will cost you in the states.

[Wednesdays]

24. I just looked up

airfare from my city to San Jose is $566. Add your $500 dental fee, plus hotel and food...I don't see any savings. :shrug:

Now, if the dental rates are similar in Mexico border towns, then that's a possibility for us in south-central or southwest U.S. 'cause one could just drive there. (No way would I want to drive all the way to Costa Rica.)

[Gato Moteado]

41. right....in their case there wouldn't be a savings on the $1700 that they ....

....need to spend on the dental care. but, this way they can get quality dental work done and not give up their vacation that they saved for.

in the event that a person needs even costlier dental work and they can fly down by themselves and shack up with some cheap lodging, the savings are way more significant. plus they get to relax and recuperate in central america, near the beach if they want.

[uppityperson]

43. I have gotten crowns for $200 in Mexicali

Or whatever the border town is there. If you want more info, pm me and I'll give you email of the dentist I went to. He was very good, gentle, sanitary, and the crowns are all good. This was a yr ago. I need to make another trip down soon for another crown.

[Echo In Light]

81. Especially when that root canal will ultimately result in a $100 extraction down the line anyway

[Wednesdays]

15. Really, what kind of fucking country do we live in

where it's considered a LUXURY to avoid dying of tooth infections?

[JanMichael]

18. That was the morning conversation on the way to breakfast:

Why do we feel like elitist SHITS for going to the damned dentist, and grocery store to get healthy vegetables?

What a stupid fucking country this has become.

[Divine Discontent]

47. my relative nearly did, also. EOM

[WHAT]

75. I know someone who died from tooth infection, also...

couldn't afford dental and packed tooth with cocaine...I don't know if it was sepsis or od...same result.

People are going to treat themselves if medical care isn't available to them; the real tragedy is that there is a fifty/fifty chance without medical help and self treatment. Lawsuits have been brought against women for home birth so sometimes the choice comes down to jail or death for this hellish problem of medical care. I think a lot of these law suits must be to force medical consumption for profit to providers rather than any real concern for health. It becomes another convoluted "irresponsibility" issue in order to garner profits for monopolized medical profits...like water monopolies. It's not the providers so much as the system. We need another system.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. I have no dental coverage.... and I am looking forward to potentially

having to wear a burqa if things go south....

[Yael]

5. You may want to check out

dentalplans.com

It isn't insurance, but they do deeply discount for participating Dentists.

I used them for several years before my company added dental.

[femrap]

62. Do you live near a University that

has a dental college? That's where I have been going....I have oral surgery this Wed. Fairly reasonably priced. And if I volunteer to help out the students on 'tests,' I get free cleanings...so far I have 2 free cleanings coming my way.

Those dogs are too damn cute.

Never use the burqa...a pretty veil is much nicer.

[Yael]

3. Check with your Dentist. Here, many offer no-interest payment plans.

I don't know how common that is though.

Definitely get it done though. It isn't worth the pain.

[Wednesdays]

13. I thought it was harder to get credit now

:shrug:

My wife got a line of credit for dental care a couple of years ago. Turns out the terms were worse than a credit card: 23% interest and a $35 late fee if you're just a day late with your payment.

[Yael]

19. Ouch!

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. One of my closest friends had a tooth fall out not long ago

She hasn't had dental insurance in years and couldn't afford to go to the dentist. So her tooth got rotten enough it just fell out.

[panader0]

8. I've been hurting for months.

No insurance, so I'll be going across the line when I can set it up. I would prefer a root canal, but will have to settle for an extraction because of the cost. Still, I have most of my teeth, except the wisdoms, and more than most of my friends.

[NV Whino]

9. I got a dental loan from CapitalOne

There's no interest if you pay it off within a year. But the payments are putting a severe crimp in my finances.

Dental insurance doesn't cover diddly shit which is why I don't have it.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

11. I finally had to call my dad for $

Hadn't been in 4 years, big trouble still, but at least I'm not in constant pain.

[femrap]

63. I bet he was happy to help out, right?

We can help each other, you know.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

69. he was...

but I sure was embarrassed to have to ask. :(

[Lorien]

14. I just had ten fillings replaced and need four root canals

but that ain't gonna happen. I also need braces. I had horrible dental problems growing up; my top and bottom jaws were a bit deformed, so I had corrective surgery done on both. That was 24 years ago, yet I've had nonstop problems with my teeth ever since.Kinda sucks. :-(

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

20. Yes, and I don't even want to go into detail. Let it be suffice to say that I have

no dental (or medical insurance) and cannot afford to get all of the work I need done.

[JanMichael]

21. I am sorry to hear that.

If we have another problem (her teeth) this year, it's going to hurt. Seriously. It sucks.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

23. Yes, it does suck. I wish you the best and thank you.

[DiverDave]

22. Funny you should bring this up

My teeth need help, and we cant afford it.
I have one thats broken and disintegrating, but I cant do a damned thing about it.
Oh, and this is WITH insurance.
Delta dental covers nothing...

[hermetic]

33. Get it pulled

$150. Sure, your dentist will tell you that's a bad idea, your face will collapse. You'll need dentures, eventually.

I had my first tooth pulled about 20 years ago; the root canal, I paid for (!), didn't 'take.' Had the same thing happen 5 years later. So now I've had 5 teeth pulled, over the years. Face hasn't collapsed yet and I'm sitting here eating crunchy peanut butter on crackers. Can still eat corn on the cob.

I am NOT giving you medical advice. I'm just relating my experience so you might realize there are other options.

Best of luck.

[Rosemary2205]

48. I was a basket case when a couple teeth went bad.

One was unsalvagable and would have had to be pulled either way. The other might have been saved with a root canal but I had no money. So they both got yanked. To hear the dentist if those spaces weren't filled up with bridgwork or something within the following 6 months my life itself would be at stake from the malnutrition of not being able to eat anything - and besides that my teeth would be all wonkie in no time.

3 years later, still 2 holes in my mouth. I eat fine. My teeth are all in the same place. I wonder what all the stress was about. Fortunately I'm not a TV personality who depends on perfect teeth to make a living. :)

[malakai2]

105. I'll back that up

Agenesis of permanent premolars runs in my family. Going back several generations, when those baby teeth finally fall out (or in my case, are pulled) the dentist will recommend bridgework. Same business every time...if bridgework isn't done, the teeth will lean over and cause problems, or the cheeks will hollow out, or eating will be difficult, malocclusion, etc. Every time, family members couldn't afford the bridgework, and every time they went on happily without the premolars, bridgework, or dire consequences.

In my case, I just had the last baby tooth pulled. The hygienist came back in to present me with an estimate for a bridge on each side of the mandible...the bill would've been a few thousand dollars. I said thanks but no thanks, I don't have that kind of cash. I might consider it if I did have the money or a worthwhile insurance plan, but when people start talking about financing my ability to eat, I start thinking back to all those teeth I studied in mammalogy. My experience that way is perhaps far outside the mainstream, but when I try to reconcile "This hyena probably died from starvation, look at the tooth wear" and "We can fix your teeth for just 24 monthly payments of $150" or whatever, I'd like to reach across the desk and slap some decency into the hygienist.

[Faux pas]

51. I have delta, $50 deductible, free check ups and exams. 80/20

on everything else.

[LWolf]

25. I keep hearing from my dentist

that I have the "good" insurance.

The insurance that requires me to pay a higher percentage of the bill at first, and then, as long as I don't miss any dental appointments, will slowly, over several years, pay more and more of the cost.

My old plan worked like that, too. When I changed jobs and moved out of state, the years I spent with my dentist didn't count. I started at the bottom.

The initial check up and cleaning cost me $600. Then they set me up on a schedule to have my teeth cleaned every 3 months, at $100 each time. That's my copay, not the entire cost. The first year I spent $1000 at the dentist.

I hadn't spent anything at all in 20 years with my previous insurance.

I should mention that I have exactly 3 cavities, received about 30 years ago when I was carrying my sons; one with the first pregnancy, two with the second. Apparently, something about pregnancy makes teeth more vulnerable.

I never had a cavity before, and haven't had one since, and I feel the pinch, paying out an extra $100 every 3 months in addition to the part of my premium that I pay. My expenses went up, while I took a significant pay cut with the move.

[riverdeep]

88. $600 for a cleaning?

I've never heard of that. Damn. Even with this 'initial check up' that sounds like a lot. I don't have any dental insurance and I pay $110 for a cleaning (total) every six months.

[LWolf]

93. It was $200 for the initial set of xrays, exam, etc..

Not that they couldn't get that from my previous dentist.

It was $100 PER QUARTER OF MY MOUTH for the first cleaning.

It is $100 for the entire cleaning after that: 4 times a year. I need to do this for another year before I get to drop down to every 6 months.

Keep in mind that those figures are MY copays. It doesn't count what is deducted from my paycheck each month to pay the premium ($67 for medical, dental, and vision), and it doesn't include what part of the fees the insurance actually covers.

[sunwyn]

26. Haven't seen a dentist in 8 yrs....

no insurance. Right now I 5 crumbled teeth with only roots remaining in the gums.

[uppityperson]

27. Me.

[Mind_your_head]

28. Honestly, that's why I posted these two lengthy posts about the importance of good dental hygiene

on this thread here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=7676159#7676725

and

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=7676159#7679435

(and to 'clarify' on the $10-20 battery model referenced in the posts above...Braun makes the machine, Oral-B makes the brush)

There's no help-a-comin' with regard to single-payer. We're gonna be "on our own" in this shitty economy for a long time into the future it seems (hope I'm wrong, of course). Sooooo, the BEST strategy would be to do your VERY BEST to keep yourself as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Taking five minutes every day to brush/floss isn't too much to ask of yourself to keep your teeth/gums healthy for the long-term, is it?

As for those who already have tooth/gum disease, it's REALLY expensive to get it taken care of, I know ~ but you MUST get it taken care of. You have my sympathy as to how you are gonna figure out how to pay for it.

My point is that NOW THAT YOU KNOW how costly and painful improper dental hygiene is....perhaps you can learn and 'be better about it' to avoid future problems.

That's all I'm saying. Hope I've been clear and don't get mis-understood/flamed.

Peace (and happy daily brushing/flossing ;-) ),
M_Y_H

[JanMichael]

30. This cavity was on the inside

no amount of flossing or brushing would have helped. Besides, we do that.

We are fucked in the US. Seriously.

[Mind_your_head]

31. I know we are f*cked in the US, for all sorts of reasons

but what do you mean, "this cavity was on the inside"?

Peace,
M_Y_H

[JanMichael]

32. the tooth was completely normal looking

no pain, no swelling, no discoloration, no problems. Then it broke off. From what we understand, that's pretty common in adults. I don't know why.

[Mind_your_head]

34. Hmmmm.....well that doesn't sound/smell "right" to me, but

IANAD (I am not a dentist ;-) )

so I'll 'leave it at that'.

Good luck with it all!
M_Y_H :hi:

[JanMichael]

35. if there were any pain, swelling, or obvious cavity

she would have gone to the dentist. How can this not "smell right?" We obviously have insurance, and can obviously afford it.

[krabigirl]

39. Some people brush and floss their hearts out, but just have weak teeth.

My mom and I are those people. My Dad, on the other hand, neglects his teeth and has zero cavities. Sigh.

[SeattleGirl]

40. Regardless of what I did, how well I took care of my teeth,

I continued to get cavities, had to have root canals done, etc., etc. The dentists I went to often made me feel bad, as if I never did ANYTHING to take care of my teeth.

Finally, FINALLY, I went to one who showed me that I had extremely thin enamel, and that regardless of what I did, I was going to be vulnerable to all kinds of bad crap happening to my teeth.

After much extensive -- and expensive -- work, I don't have those problems any more.

Just saying that sometimes, it's not lack of good dental hygiene; it's a problem such as what I had.

[fortyfeetunder]

49. Me too.

I had some rather "Little Shop of Horrors"-type dentists, I was practically afraid of dentists that I didn't go for a long time. Fortunately I found one in the neighborhood through 1-800 DENTIST and explained my situation. I have about a year's worth of work ahead but they are taking good care of me.

I brush, floss and now water pik daily but my teeth are probably as fragile as yours...a mouth full of cavities!

[SeattleGirl]

50. My brothers and sisters have the same problems with their teeth

that I do.

What really sucks is being blamed by some dentists, as if we have control over the strength of the enamel on our teeth. I was so glad I found a dentist who finally explained the problem to me, and I'm glad you did too.

[femrap]

66. Some dentists can be real assholes...nt

[femrap]

65. I read that when a person becomes

depressed, the first to go is dental hygiene. And looking back, I guess I can vouch for that.

Now, I floss and brush...plus I have this nifty brush thingie that goes between my teeth to get 'crap' out.

Twice a day floss and brush....esp. before going to bed can really help save our teeth.

[Juche]

29. Right now, no

I try to get my teeth fixed when they are just cavities because I have paid 15x more for a root canal & crown than a filling, and want to avoid that if at all possible. But I will need a crown replaced in the next 5 years or so. But right now no, but I started taking large doses of magnesium a few months ago and worry what it'll do to my teeth.

I agree it is very fucking sad that food, fuel, house payments and dental care are becoming luxuries now.

[enki23]

36. i've been missing a filling for about seven months

i figure the tooth is probably a total loss by now. i don't get dental coverage, and we have a new baby. so i don't get to keep my tooth, i guess. *shrug*

[WA98296]

37. I'm in the same exact boat as your wife. Good insurance, no longer near good enough.

[leftofthedial]

38. me

bad

[Iwillnevergiveup]

42. One possible option

for dental care is a university-affiliated dental school if you live near one.

More bad news: heart disease and dental problems are linked.

[rubberducky]

44. 4 broken teeth, no ins. I guess they will just have to fall out.

My old silver fillings seem to fall out occasionally. I have learned to live with the pain.

[Rosemary2205]

45. Extraction $138 - found it for $37 at the dental college.

of course I am now without another tooth.

My grandpa ended up with no teeth at all. He managed to even eat steak just fine after awhile because his gums got so hard.

The vanity one must have to generally accepted in our image consious society can be expensive though.

BTW - someone said upthread that someone they knew died from massive tooth infection. Just an an FYI - If treating a potentially fatal infection that has spread from a tooth means getting a dentist in there to pull the tooth, then most emergency rooms will get that tooth out rather than just let you die. Disclaimer, yes I know people have been left to die. Homeless people have been dumped. And it's shameful. But a lot of people are also helped and rather than just let someone die over a bad tooth, if one cannot get access to or cannot afford the money for a dental college to pull the tooth, then an emergency room is the next best option.

[Divine Discontent]

46. I need over 10,000 in dental work.

I cannot even begin to afford that. I pray for all of us. We need full health care - the billionaires who are filthy rich from all of our collective purchases of their sources of income can live without a mighty chunk of that change in the form of taxes to at least give their fellow humans basic health care!

Sorry you are in the same boat as me.


K&R

[Faux pas]

52. four infected teeth, have insurance, the dentist was supposed

to call in a prescription yesterday, pharmacy never got it. Hope I live until monday...

[jberryhill]

53. Three words for you

I'm not kidding, this is great:

Mexican Dental Vacation

You can go to some great places AND get your dental work done for what you'd spend on the dental work alone in the US.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

54. I had to have some serious dental work done in the past couple of years, and

I attribute it to the fact that when I was a struggling beginning translator/editor, dental checkups seemed like a luxury.

[juno jones]

55. Just had a tooth pulled

One that had been a root/canal crown about 2 years ago. The dentist who put it in screwed it up. I had some money then when it originally occured, however that emergency sucked all the money I was saving to fill a cavity that has needed filling for over 10 years. The extraction depleted my dental cash once again. Now that tooth is gone, and I still have a hole in my molar, C'est la vie. Someday teeth will be considered health care too and not just cosmetic.

[lildreamer316]

56. We both need work fairly badly,

but just cannot afford it yet.

[piesRsquare]

57. I have fairly serious dental problems

that are not getting treatment because of the cost.

A (partial) crown of mine has been sitting in a plastic container for about a year now, because I cannot even afford the (minimum) $120 it would cost to have a dentist glue it back in.

I have at least two very, very serious cavities (that are going to end up being crowns at the very least) that need treatment.

At least my gums aren't bleeding.

[haele]

58. I'm just waiting for the rest of my family to finish their dental issues

Before I go in, get most of my cracked and pretty much dead back teeth pulled, and get dentures or a couple of bridges. After 7 years with no dental, an industrial chemical exposure that screwed with my bones and teeth for a good 2 years after before my system recovered, teeth grinding at night, old fillings, etc...I can't save most of my teeth. And getting 8 root canals and crowns, and capping a couple others over 3 years to "save" what I have left of the back teeth costs far more in time and money than getting dentures. I've already lost three teeth that either cracked off below the gum line or had to be pulled because I didn't have the money or insurance at the time.

My plan only covers about $1500 a year per person, no cosmetics. If I got 3 root canals a year, I'd have to pay $1200 out of pocket to cover one and a half of the procedures each year. For dentures, I'm only going to have to save up an extra $2000, and it gets done all at once.

Haele

[JerseygirlCT]

59. This whole weird idea that our mouths and eyes and sometimes

minds are separate health issues from the rest of our bodies is ridiculous. That's got to stop.

Dental care IS health care.

We've got good health care, but no dental. That comes right out of pocket. I went through a run of problems a couple of years ago - many root canals and extractions. It sure added up. We were lucky that it didn't cause us permanent problems, either. But how that's different from a broken arm is beyond me. Actually, the broken arm might heal badly, but as someone above pointed out, an infection in a tooth root can KILL you.

It's crazy.

[femrap]

67. It's fucking insane...

it's like my mouth doesn't belong to my body or something....nor my eyes.

I'm so sick of greedy corporations....if corporations are really persons, then I want to poke their fucking eyes out and drill their teeth to the bone!

[Muttocracy]

91. I had hoped when those studies came out about gum bacteria -> heart disease

that people would remember teeth were connected to the rest of our bodies, at least via our circulatory systems.

The two main health needs I have are eye exams and dental exams. Guess which two items have the weakest coverage on my insurance? Sigh.

[JerseygirlCT]

95. Neither covered on mine, either. But at least right now

the mouth seems quiet, and the glasses have been purchased, lol.

Now if orthopedists and physical therapy weren't included, I'd be racking up some big bills!

[woo me with science]

104. Thank you. nt

[undeterred]

60. I had a tooth pulled last week

The root canal was done over a year ago and my portion of that was several hundred dollars. I couldn't afford the crown at that time so I kept putting it off, although my dentist said it should be done within a month. Well, its more than a year later and the tooth broke, below the gumline, and after that I had no choice but to lose it. The amount of coverage provided by insurance is simply not enough, and when you add out of pocket medical to out of pocket dental, I can't afford what I need.

[HeeBGBz]

61. I need all my teeth pulled, but can't afford it

I get them pulled one at a time when they go nukie on me.

[dysfunctional press]

71. are you anywhere near a dental college/school?

they'll generally do it for quite a bit less.

[PCIntern]

64. I'm a dentist and I have

many more dental problems that you can imagine... Trust me. They're just different types than y'all have...

[orleans]

76. how are the dental problems "different types?"

do dentists fix/work on their own teeth?

if you go to another dentist do you get the work done for little or no charge and then reciprocate?

i've often wondered about these things

ok--"often" is too strong a word.

i've occasionally wondered.

[williesgirl]

68. My disabled daughter needs $50,000 worth of dental work and NOW. She's been

sickly most of her young life (25 yrs old now). They say the combination of so many antibiotics over the years as well as a strange combination of stomach issues and mental problems that result in her inability to hold down food for about the past 6 years, that the vomiting etc have ruined all her teeth.

They came up with two plans. One where she gets 9 root canals right now plus pulling about 4 teeth and fixing some others. The other plan which we will most likely choose has them pulling all her teeth next month, putting in temporary dentures, then implants after 3 months. We can't just stay with dentures since the bone loss over her life span will be considerable. With implants, that's not an issue supposedly.

If we go with the first plan (root canals etc), my fear is that the rest of her teeth will eventually need them too since her health condition hasn't improved. Then, for the rest of her life, she'll need planned work on the canals every 5-7 years, which will be super expensive.

I'm 62, and also disabled. My fear is that once I'm no longer on this earth, there is no way in hell that she'll be able to come up with the money necessary to maintain her dental health. If we do the implants now, she may be okay later.

I'm depleting most of my 401K from my former employer to pay for this. I can't tell you the rage I feel over insurance companies and employers being able to treat dental, vision etc separate from regular health care. It's all health care.

[dysfunctional press]

72. i was told that i couldn't go with implants BECAUSE of bone loss...

so i got dentures.

i'm sorry to hear about your situation...i'm disabled as well- with a severely arthritic spine and chronic pain...but i get by, especially with the help of my fantastic and loving wife.

[riverdeep]

89. It's stories like yours, and many others in this thread

that made the last Dem debates such a sore spot with so many. Asking the candidates about trivialities while the real world is sinking, was a sign that so many in the media don't give a crap.

[dysfunctional press]

70. i decided to stop throwing good money after bad, had what was left extracted and got dentures.

my smile looks A LOT better- but they are a royal pain in the ass.

[htuttle]

73. Need three extractions...was told the anaesthetic was 'optional', and therefore not covered

...But the oral surgeons won't do it without the anaesthetic due to the strain on the heart.

And the bridge that's supposed to replace them? Only a 'portion' of it is covered by my insurance -- how LARGE a portion? They couldn't tell me yet...

So I'm sitting here with a swollen jaw asking myself: How long do I want to try to gum my food until I can afford the bridge? How long can I put up with this pain?

I guess THAT's America nowadays...

[Ysabel]

87. aye (htuttle's other half here)...

i had a molar fall out a couple of months ago and i need major work (bridges and extractions also)...

- both of us are in constant pain...

---------

edited to add: i have no insurance...

[riverdeep]

90. Anaesthetic is 'optional'? Good God.

Is this the eighteenth century?

[williesgirl]

74. We ought to get our candidates on board for parity w/dental as medical.

[orleans]

77. yes. tooth problems. as we speak. no insurance. blah. n/t

[graycem]

78. That's so true..

I had to have a root canal/crown, and even with dental insurance, I still had to pay half and it was outrageous. The people in the middle are hurting the worst. I know in my state it's usually just the poor children who are eligible for medicaid, so they get treatment, but not the parents. Still the government wants to spend millions on bridges for 50 people and pointless wars. Our priorities are definitely in the wrong places.

[Festivito]

79. Got by for 10 years. Recommend brand Listerine toothpaste.

Started working a normal job just over a year ago after 20 years without a "real" job. 10 years without dentistry.

Had lost cavities, loose teeth, some hurting teeth time to time.

I used the expensive $5 a tube Listerine, putting it in empty cavities, putting it over bad front teeth.

It helped.

Still missing some teeth. I'll address them later. About $1200-1500 that insurance will not cover due to a year insurance wait beyond the 3-month company wait for benefits.

[bean fidhleir]

80. Me. Medicare doesn't cover the two things -vision and dental- that cause

problems as a person ages. I have 2 crowns that are damaged and need replaced, and I haven't even wanted to enquire about the price because of how depressing I know it will be.

[Breeze54]

82. Thanks to MA Universal Health Care for ALL being passed in 2006, and

after waiting 3 yrs to get it, I am now approved, finally, for dental work to be done!!
It was a while before it was ready to roll and then there was a back log of applicants
due to so many applying and I was late in getting an application due to the back log
but I just got approved and I'm covered for everything, afaik! :D

Mass. Bill Requires Health Coverage

Wednesday, April 5, 2006; Page A01

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040401937.html

BOSTON, April 4 --

The Massachusetts legislature approved a bill Tuesday that would require all residents to purchase
health insurance or face legal penalties, which would make this the first state to tackle the problem
of incomplete medical coverage by treating patients the same way it does cars.

snip-->

As simple as the idea sounds -- buy insurance or else -- the proposal is complex and, in some cases,
still unfinished. For instance, it leaves the task of determining exactly how much some low-income
residents will pay for their new, more affordable policies to a new agency that would serve as a
liaison between the government, policyholders and private insurance companies.

more....
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[hootinholler]

83. Checking in. n/t

[Subdivisions]

84. I honestly believe that if I don't get intensive dental care

soon, my choppers will be the death of me.

I had good parents growing up but there are a couple of things that they failed at. One was teaching us how to manage money. Which I don't get because they seemed to manage theirs well enough. I guess they thought I was getting that at school. I didn't realize until I started earning money the neither my parents nor school taught me anything significant about managing money.

The second thing my parents failed to do was to take us to our semi-yearly dental checkups. All of my childhood my dad had and good job and mom worked too but I don't think they had dental insurance back in the 70s. And if there wasn't a toothache and as long as we brushed every morning and night, which they indeed made us do, we didn't see a dentist. I've never asked them but I guess it wasn't in the budget.

I've never myself been able to pay for dental care out of my pocket even though at times I've made what many would consider a good wage. But no dental insurance and plenty of bills and expenses. And now I work for myself from home and I can't even afford a pulling. And I have several that need to go.

At any rate, I'm convinced that if I die before my time, it'll be my teeth that causes my death.

If anyone knows of any dental colleges or social programs I can look into, please post them. Thanks.

[w8liftinglady]

96. here's a number for Baylor college of dentistry.Good Luck

http://www.tambcd.edu/resources/becomepatient.html
Texas A&M Health Science Center Baylor College of Dentistry (HSC-BCD) is a teaching institution in which treatment is performed by students and supervised by licensed clinical faculty. A screening appointment is necessary to determine if you are a suitable teaching patient, and can only be made according to the instructions on this page.

Screening is by appointment only. Please call ONLY on Wednesdays from 9:00- 10:30 AM to schedule an appointment the following week.

Please do not call any other number at the College. No other number can schedule a screening or transfer your call. This appointment screening line is ONLY open on Wednesdays from 9 -10:30 AM and we do experience a high volume of calls during that time. The phone # again is 214-823-1376, and it is only open on Wednesdays between 9:00 - 10:30AM. There is no message on this line. If called at ANY other time it will just ring. No one will answer.

[Subdivisions]

98. w8, you are an angel =)

I didn't know about Baylor's program. I will call them tomorrow and set up a screening. I have little doubt they'll be making me a guinea pig soon.

Thank you neighbor!

[w8liftinglady]

99. you can only call Wed between 9 and 1030 am...good luck,and don't give up!

[Subdivisions]

100. Thanks dear. I won't! give up! =)

[Divine Discontent]

85. as a follow-up and kick

dental problems cause infections, immune problems, and suffering. our candidates in all levels of govt need to demand dental care if anything! my teeth are a disaster and I used to have the teeth that everyone would say oh look at that smile!!! not anymore, due to heredity problems (bone weakness, one has cracked on a newton!) I have a mess in my mouth and missing teeth, fractured teeth, and a mouth begging for help.

[Leftist Agitator]

86. I have 2 broken molars.

I can't even afford to get them fixed at the local dental school.

[riverdeep]

92. Listening to these stories, I feel fortunate.

For now. Who knows what will happen later in life.

When I was a kid, I was never taken to the dentist. I went to a dentist for the first time in my life when I was twenty. I was so scared. I also led a life when I was young that wasn't conducive to good dental health. When I go to the dentist now they compliment me on my teeth. They're not perfectly straight on the bottom, but they're in good condition.

After I recovered from my addictions I started taking good care of my teeth (I know there's more to it than that for some). I brush and floss twice a day. Once before going to bed, very important because most tooth decay occurs at night when the saliva flow is less, and once AFTER I eat breakfast. If you do it before then you have food particles in your mouth for the entire morning.

I heard a dental assistant say once that plaque can turn into tartar in 16 hours. I don't know if it's true, but it made me make sure to brush and floss every 14 hours just to make sure.

[Cleita]

94. Many.

I have known poor people who have pulled their own rotten teeth out with pliers. Often it is cheaper to get dentures than to save a tooth with a root canal and crown so that's what they do.

[Mandate My Ass]

97. My health has seriously deteriorated due to significant dental problems

Last year I lost my job and couldn't afford COBRA. I had two abscessed teeth a few months later. Even though I had the second one done at a dental school it still cost over $650 - UP FRONT. That tooth was under a bridge which has since fallen out of my mouth because the tooth that anchored it had rotted.

I just had the other tooth pulled and considered myself lucky because it lasted nearly a year when I was told if I didn't have it crowned it would only last a month or so.

Every day I feel weaker and more tired and I know it's because I have a bacteria factory working overtime in my mouth. I wash my mouth out several times a day with peroxide and salt water-I look like I have rabies when the peroxide foams up in my mouth.

The ABSOLUTE WORST part of all of this is that the dentists look at you with such obvious disdain when you tell them you can't afford their quite expensive services because you can't find work and your credit score won't allow you to take a loan out to do it. :grr:

[Subdivisions]

101. I feel your pain, sister. I'm surprised I'm not already dead.

I don't have the daily weariness that you have but often I just don't feel right. And it's not the common things that make you not feel right, like alergies or the flu. It's distincly different. I've had a constant subdued ache in my jaws for so long that I don't even notice it unless I stopped and "listen" for it.

I was given information upthread that looks promising. It's a teaching patient program at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. Perhaps there's a similar teaching patient program near you?

[w8liftinglady]

102. maybe this will help some people(links)

Other Resources for Dental Services

To inquire about possible sources of financial assistance in your community, dentists who may work out payment plans, etc., please contact the dental society closest to you.

If you need help locating the society, please click on the following link: http://www.ada.org/ada/organizations/local.asp (If there is no staffed local dental society in your area, then contact your state dental association: http://www.ada.org/ada/organizations/searchcons1.asp ).

We have listed additional options to consider below. Please remember that due to the large number of requests for care; there may be a waiting list at all of the public health and education clinics and centers listed below.

Dental care at reduced rates often is available at colleges and universities with dental school clinics and through dental hygiene education programs. To find out if there is a dental education program, in your area, please visit the following links:

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/programs/search_ddsdmd_us.asp (Dental Schools)
http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/programs/search_dahlt_us.asp (Dental Hygiene)

You can also contact your state or local health department for a referral to a public health clinic in your area that offers dental care. To access your state’s contact information, please visit the following link: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/international/relres.html

You can also access a list of health centers in your area that offer dental care by clicking on the following link. At this link, select your state and type in your zip code. Then scroll to where it says, “Search by Service Type” and select “Dental”. Then click on the button that says “Submit Search” and it will display health centers in your area.
http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc/

If your family receives Medicaid, please visit the following link for a referral to a dentist in your area that accepts Medicaid. Please note that you may not receive a referral to an ADA-member dentist.
http://new.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidDentalCoverage/Downloads/dentalcontacts.pdf
www.medicaiddental.org or www.msdpra.org

You can also visit the following link for more information regarding Medicaid: http://www.ada.org/public/manage/insurance/medicare.asp

These links will provide further information.
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/HealthInformation/FindingDentalCare/default.htm
http://www.ada.org/public/manage/you/faq.asp#howcani

January 2007

[Subdivisions]

103. Information worth x-posting as a separate thread. Good work! n/t