According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, around 108 million Americans go without dental insurance during any given year. And since paying the full weight of dental care is often out of the question for those living on low incomes, many people simply choose to go without or get by with as few cleanings and check-ups as they possibly can.
However, if you do have out-of-pocket funds with which to pay, you already know how quickly cleanings, fillings, and basic dental care can take a bite out of your budget. After all, a typical dental filling can cost anywhere from $100 to $200, a cleaning can cost upwards of $200, braces can cost $5,000 to $6,000, and so on.
Obviously, one of the easiest ways to save on dental care is to have a dental insurance policy for your family. The bad news is, many employers don’t offer dental coverage to their employees, even at a cost, and the dental plans commonly sold on the open insurance market can be of questionable value.