Needing Dental Insurance for Bad Toothache
I do not have dental insurance currently, which sucks right now since I have a terrible toothache. I thought I could go to the hospital emergency to have them just pull the bad tooth out. I found out they do not do that. I was offered some painkillers, which helped a little, but I was told I would need to go to a dentist to have the tooth pulled or fixed. What can I do? I do not have dental insurance.
Reply: You have a few options:
1) Buy a Dental HMO insurance plan, as they typically do not have waiting periods for tooth extractions. However, the effective date is typically the start of the following month you buy it, depending on their cut-off date. Also, you should call the plan provider you picked to ensure they have available appointments once your dental insurance is effective.
2) You can buy a dental discount plan. A discount plan is not insurance but does help you save money on all your dental care needs, providing you with discounted rates. Most discount plans start the next business day after buying it. Like an HMO you should call the plan providers to confirm they are still accepting the plan and that they have available appointments to take you in immediately after getting one.
3) You may want to see if you have any local dental schools. Dental schools provide services at much lower cost, but appointments can be difficult, and you may have to wait a while before they can get you in.