Did you get those dreaded words from your dentist “Mary, little Johnny needs braces”? I’m sure it brought back many memories from your days as a teen. Getting oral braces was like a rite of passage in our teen years, something you had to get through with as little physical and social pain as possible. What you may not have realized then, but, is hitting you like a ton of bricks now is the memory that your parent(s) first encountered, “How am I going to pay for the braces?” Here are some tips for easing the burden of paying for oral braces.
Most kids that get braces are normally between the ages of 10 – 14 years old. However, there has been a growing trend to recommend braces at a much younger age. This has sparked much debate between dentists and parents alike. If your child is younger than 10 years old, I would make very sure that braces are a current necessity. You may fix a current problem now only to find out they will need braces again as they get older to fix new problems. Unfortunately, the second set of braces will normally cost as much or more than the first set.
Tip #1: NEED - Does your child really need oral braces? I strongly suggest getting at least three opinions. Yes you may have to pay three consultation fees (many first consultation visits are free), but paying up to $200 dollars to find out your child really doesn’t need $6000 dollars worth of braces, is a small price to pay. Most Orthodontists that charge consultation fees on the first visit will normally apply the amount to the cost of the braces treatment if you decide to proceed with getting braces.
So you’ve decided your child needs oral braces. Then let’s move on to other ways to lessen the financial burden.
Tip #2: BARTER - Many dentists or Orthodontists will barter some or all of the costs of their services for services you may be able to render for them. Are you a trade’s person or do you have any IT skills like networking or web design? As with many of your current customers, your dentist will likely need those services for their home or business as well. I have a friend that does landscaping, and they were able to pay for the braces for their two children by offering to mow the dentists grass at home. I think both of his kids had to wear the braces for approximately two years each and he agreed to perform basic landscaping services to the dentist for three seasons as payment for both kids’ braces.
Tip #3: DISCOUNT DENTAL PLANS – Most people don’t know about discount dental plans. Discount dental plans help individuals, families and groups to save money on their dental care needs. Dental plans vary in what they cover, so be sure to look for a dental plan with orthodontic coverage. The plans are an alternative to dental insurance (which most dental insurances don’t cover braces) dental plans have negotiated discounted fees with the dental care providers in the plan.
This is the method I used to get oral braces for my son. Here is how it worked for me. I had been to see three orthodontists to get their opinions and description of treatment plan to give my son a great smile. I then checked to find out my dental insurance provided absolutely no coverage for braces. So I started doing some web searches for “dental plan with orthodontic coverage”. After reviewing several plans, I found a plan that not only covered braces, but also my orthodontist was a member dental provider for the plan. The process for joining the plan only took a few days and I had my membership card in the mail. When I first met with our Orthodontist the costs for the services were approximately $5800 however after providing my dental plan membership, my cost was only $3200. This made the cost much more manageable, and I also received an additional 10% discount for paying for the services upfront.
With the average costs of oral braces ranging between $5000 and $12,000 dollars depending on which part of the country you live in, with just a little research you may be able to save 40 – 60% on your child’s smile which will put an additional smile on you.
Most kids that get braces are normally between the ages of 10 – 14 years old. However, there has been a growing trend to recommend braces at a much younger age. This has sparked much debate between dentists and parents alike. If your child is younger than 10 years old, I would make very sure that braces are a current necessity. You may fix a current problem now only to find out they will need braces again as they get older to fix new problems. Unfortunately, the second set of braces will normally cost as much or more than the first set.
Tip #1: NEED - Does your child really need oral braces? I strongly suggest getting at least three opinions. Yes you may have to pay three consultation fees (many first consultation visits are free), but paying up to $200 dollars to find out your child really doesn’t need $6000 dollars worth of braces, is a small price to pay. Most Orthodontists that charge consultation fees on the first visit will normally apply the amount to the cost of the braces treatment if you decide to proceed with getting braces.
So you’ve decided your child needs oral braces. Then let’s move on to other ways to lessen the financial burden.
Tip #2: BARTER - Many dentists or Orthodontists will barter some or all of the costs of their services for services you may be able to render for them. Are you a trade’s person or do you have any IT skills like networking or web design? As with many of your current customers, your dentist will likely need those services for their home or business as well. I have a friend that does landscaping, and they were able to pay for the braces for their two children by offering to mow the dentists grass at home. I think both of his kids had to wear the braces for approximately two years each and he agreed to perform basic landscaping services to the dentist for three seasons as payment for both kids’ braces.
Tip #3: DISCOUNT DENTAL PLANS – Most people don’t know about discount dental plans. Discount dental plans help individuals, families and groups to save money on their dental care needs. Dental plans vary in what they cover, so be sure to look for a dental plan with orthodontic coverage. The plans are an alternative to dental insurance (which most dental insurances don’t cover braces) dental plans have negotiated discounted fees with the dental care providers in the plan.
This is the method I used to get oral braces for my son. Here is how it worked for me. I had been to see three orthodontists to get their opinions and description of treatment plan to give my son a great smile. I then checked to find out my dental insurance provided absolutely no coverage for braces. So I started doing some web searches for “dental plan with orthodontic coverage”. After reviewing several plans, I found a plan that not only covered braces, but also my orthodontist was a member dental provider for the plan. The process for joining the plan only took a few days and I had my membership card in the mail. When I first met with our Orthodontist the costs for the services were approximately $5800 however after providing my dental plan membership, my cost was only $3200. This made the cost much more manageable, and I also received an additional 10% discount for paying for the services upfront.
With the average costs of oral braces ranging between $5000 and $12,000 dollars depending on which part of the country you live in, with just a little research you may be able to save 40 – 60% on your child’s smile which will put an additional smile on you.
Troy Gregory is a professional web designer and a Father of two great kids. Click to find out more about saving money on your kids braces or Dental Plan With Orthodontic Coverage
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_Gregory
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