Dentist without insurance

Seeing the dentist without insurance

Visiting the dentist every six months is generally well-accepted as an important part of caring for your teeth, mouth, and gums. Your routine dental appointments allow your dentist to identify and treat problems before they get too big. However, if you do not have dental insurance, it can be difficult to manage the costs while still maintaining good oral health.

Even if you do not have insurance right now, you still should make an appointment with a dentist when needed. There are ways to help lower the costs for preventive care or pay for your care over time instead of all at once. Also, some individual dental insurance plans, like those offered from Guardian, allow you to use your coverage* right away for preventive care.

To understand whether dental insurance is worth it or not, you should have a good understanding about how much dental treatment may typically cost without insurance.

How much is a dentist appointment without insurance near me?

Having dental insurance is an essential part of maintaining good oral health while saving money on dental work. Your routine dental visit will include an oral examination, a cleaning to get rid of tarter, X-rays, and an oral cancer screening.¹ Your dentist will also educate you on problem spots in your mouth so you can target those areas and keep them clean.

If you do not have insurance, even preventive care and routine cleaning can really start to add up. Depending on the dentist's office and local rates, a full cleaning with exam and X-rays may cost between $100 and $300 per visit, or an average cost of $200 to $600 per year if you go every six months.² If you end up needing more work done, such as having a cavity filled, having a deep dental cleaning, or needing a root canal, the price can go up dramatically.

On average, and depending on many factors like the state where you live, Americans spend around $360 per year on dental insurance premiums.³ This means that, with dental insurance, you could save money on preventive care alone. If other issues arise and you need to use your dental insurance for more complex procedures, having coverage can help you save on dental care costs. For example, if you need a root canal done on a molar and a crown put in, you could be looking at paying over $500 on average⁴ for the root canal and over $800 on average⁵ for a porcelain crown. So, the approximate out-of-pocket cost you would have to pay for these procedures could be around $1,300 without insurance. On the other hand, if you have dental insurance, depending on your plan, a portion of the cost would be covered.

The costs and benefits of having insurance vary from person to person, the state where you live, and other factors. But in many cases, it is much less expensive to purchase insurance than pay for dental procedures on your own. This is especially true if you are prone to dental issues or if you haven’t been to the dentist in a while.

Factors that determine how much a dentist visit is without insurance

There are a number of common factors that contribute to how much a dental visit may cost you without dental insurance. If you are looking for a dental provider, you might consider shopping around before making a final decision because pricing can vary based on these common factors.

One factor that typically determines how much a dental visit will cost is location. A dentist in a rural area will have different prices than a dentist in a city. Dental providers will charge what they need to stay in business in whatever area they are located, and this can be seen in the prices for their services. Even within the same city, there will be different costs between providers, as each provider has their own expenses that vary from place to place.

Apart from location, there can be a difference in cost between different procedures. Some common procedures that can vary depending on severity, location, and materials used are:

• Root canals — root canals can have different costs depending on severity and location within the mouth. Root canals in the molars are more expensive than root canals on an incisor because molars have more roots.⁶ Some root canals can be filled with a basic filling, while others will need a crown.

• Crowns — depending on the material used and location within the mouth, crowns can cost on average between $500 and $3,000.⁷

• Dentures — like crowns, denture prices can vary depending on materials used. Basic to mid-range dentures can cost on average between $800 and $3,000 a set, while premium dentures can cost between $4,000 and $8,000 a set.⁸

• Veneers — veneers vary in thickness, with thinner veneers costing more than thicker ones. Thicker porcelain veneers can cost on average between $500 and $1,100 per tooth, and thinner, Lumineer®* veneers can cost between $700 and $1,300 per tooth.⁹

All the costs above are for patients without insurance. Typically, your insurance will cover a portion of these costs, up to your yearly maximum. In many cases, the savings you will receive from your insurance will far exceed the amount that you would save on your monthly premium by not having insurance.

Does a dental visit cost more without insurance?

Dental insurance covers the majority, if not all, of your preventive care services, including X-rays, examinations, and dental cleanings. Without insurance, you will be responsible for the full cost of all preventative care, which, in the end, can cost you much more than the prices of your monthly premiums.

Another way that dental insurance can help save you money is through their network. Guardian Stay® has a network of over 100,000 dentals professionals who all charge rates that are negotiated through the carrier. These rates are typically lower than the rates that your dentist would charge a person without insurance.

Is there a dentist that accepts patients without insurance near me?

Finding a dentist that accepts patients without insurance can seem like a difficult thing to do, however, it is not as hard as you might think. Most dentists will take patients without insurance by accepting CareCredit® to help pay for services. In fact, there are over 225,000 health and wellness providers who accept CareCredit® as a means of payment.¹⁰

CareCredit® is like a credit card that allows patients to pay for health and wellness procedures over time. CareCredit® can be used for a variety of dental services, including preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry.¹¹

If you go to the dentist without your insurance card

If you find yourself in your dentist’s office before an appointment without your insurance card, don’t fret. Your dentist can look up all your member information if you have a current dental insurance policy. There is no need to cancel your appointment or reschedule just because you do not have all your information handy.

Typically, buying dental insurance is a straightforward process and can be completed entirely online. If you are shopping for dental insurance, it is important to understand the ins and outs of each plan, including coverage, network, and all associated costs. Guardian has resources available on our website that can help you do research so that you can make an informed decision for you and your family.