How to Save Money on Private Dentist Costs
In the UK it is quite common for people to want to have cheaper dentistry and to save money on private dentist costs but how can that be done? In this blog post we investigate some of the ideas on how you can save money at the dentist and still enjoy a healthy beautiful smile.
Before we go into looking at some of the savings on treatments we always recommend taking a preventive approach first, so let’s look at preventing costs in the first place
Best Ways to Prevent Dental Treatment Costs
We all know the saying:
Prevention is better than cure
And in the case of dentistry, particularly with the costs, this is very much the case.
It’s not dentistry that expensive its neglect!
Fissure sealants
Research shows that these can be great way to prevent decay and are very often used in children. These fissure sealants fill up the deep pits and troughs in your teeth to prevent bacteria lurking and causing decay. Fluoride is also released from the sealant which helps in the mineralisation process of your teeth, keeping them strong.
Hygiene appointments
This might seem like another ruse to get you to spend more money, but it’s actually the opposite. It’s cheaper for a hygienist to help you clean your teeth than it is for a dentist. If you follow the advice of your hygienist then this will also help keep your private dentist costs low.
A dental hygienist will monitor your oral health using a special scale called a BPE. At each appointment this will be assessed and you will be given a score. This enables the hygienist to rank your dental health on an ongoing basis to ensure if he improves or at least doesn’t worsen.
A dental hygienist is also able to deep clean in between your teeth and even under the gum line ensuring that decay doesn’t build up due to the presence of biofilm.
Routine visits
Regular visits to your dentist, usually twice per year will also ensure that any signs of decay are spotted at the earliest point. Dentists will also place a ‘watch’ on any area they are concerned about. This usually means taking a photograph with an intro oral camera which is then stored in your records. Images over an extended period can then be compared
This technique is particularly useful if your dentist believes that decay may be starting to take hold in your tooth. Because your dentist uses high-powered lights and magnification they are able to see this decay at a very early stage and take action, usually with a small white filling. This is much cheaper than allowing the decay to progress (which can happen painlessly) and require the use of more complex (and expensive) dentistry such as crowns bridges, veneers or implants.
Paying for dental treatments in instalments
More expensive treatments can often be paid for in instalments. For example, Teeth Straightening often starts from £1995 this can be paid in 12 monthly instalments 0% interest at a cost of £166.25 per month.
NHS vs Private dentist
There is often a lot of discussion about the difference between NHS and private dentistry. The 2 biggest differences are that of time and investment. Private dentists are usually able to invest more heavily in technology giving you a wider access to a range of treatments. Because the NHS works on a very tight budget many treatments are not available on the NHS such as cosmetic dentistry or dental implants.
Time is also another important factor. Appointments with a private dentist are usually 40 min giving your dentist plenty of time to check every single tooth, record the findings, take digital photographs for tracking purposes, perform oral cancer assessments and give you time to explain any of your concerns and to discuss treatment together.
NHS dental treatment is usually restricted on this time as the dentist usually needs to see as many NHS patients in a single day as possible in order to meet targets.
How to save money at the dentist
One of the best ways to save money at the dentist Is to join a dental practice membership scheme. These often come with a range of benefits, including:
Budgeting on a monthly plan so that all of your routine dentistry is covered. These plans usually start from around £17.30 per month, less than most mobile phone bills.
All routine dental and hygiene examinations covered in the cost of the plan.
Up to 20% discount on treatments.
Priority appointments in the event of a dental emergency.
Exclusive access to evening and weekend emergency numbers for out of hours care, all free of charge.
Dental insurance with worldwide accident and emergency cover for those unexpected events.
For just 56 p per day it’s possible to save around 20% on many treatments at the dentist, and when this is coupled with a preventative plan to reduce the amount of treatment unique, it can really add up to a huge saving.
Signing up for a dental patient membership scheme
It’s simple to sign up to our dental patient membership scheme, simply call us on 01253 736 633 Request a new patient appointment and let us know in the message that you would like to sign up to our membership scheme which, at the time of writing (25/8/20) is just £17.30 per month