photo courtesy of www.seniorplanning.org

Perhaps one of the least comfortable topics of discussion between patients and dentists is money. But patients should not shrink from having that discussion.

Dentists know that:

• Money is an issue for most people.
• Patients want to be able to plan to pay for the dentist’s services to the best of their ability.

Your dentist does not automatically know your financial situation. So it’s better to discuss billing and how much procedures will cost prior to a visit.

Some cost-saving measures to consider:

• Dental insurance is usually a good deal when it is part of group coverage. If your employer offers group dental insurance, it usually covers all of your cleanings and X-rays and will discount several procedures.
• Most dental insurance has a spending cap and many have a deductible for services other than exams and cleanings.
• Make sure you know the specifics of your policy. For many families, the spending cap is per person, and includes orthodontia, meaning that orthodontia can be discounted but not entirely.
• In Michigan, Medicare does not include dental coverage. If you will be aging out of group coverage and into Medicare, schedule a dental exam and any procedures before your coverage lapses.
• Dental insurance bought on the marketplace may still save you money, depending on your ability to save and what you expect your dental expenses to be. Be sure to check out AARP and professional organizations that you belonged to when you or your partner worked.
• Be sure that you check with your dentist as to which dental insurance plans she participates in.
• And check with the dentist’s bookkeeper and insurance coordinator regarding which insurance plans seem to be the most cooperative regarding timely payment and transparency regarding coverage.
• If you must go without dental insurance, spend money wisely and come in for exams when they are scheduled. Doing without may cost you much more down the road.

And you have to take care of your teeth.

Many people who are working have the benefit of some sort of dental insurance coverage. But as you move into retirement, that number goes down. You may be able to arrange for dental coverage.

Sources of continuing dental coverage could include:

• Continuing coverage through your previous employer
• Certain Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), if you choose one
• Medicaid coverage for low-income seniors
• Other association plans that you might be a part of, like AARP or associations or consortiums that were part of your industry

If you have not or cannot obtain continuing dental coverage, then you need to have as many dental health needs dealt with prior to retirement, so make an appointment to see your dentist right away, prior to the end of your insurance coverage. Have a thorough cleaning and make arrangements to deal with any chronic issues prior to your retirement.

If you plan to permanently forego dental insurance coverage, be sure you can afford to pay for dental care out of pocket. If you have had a history of optimal oral health, this might be a reasonable risk. But, for many, this is a poor financial decision. If you are going to be without dental insurance, set aside money for cleanings and treatments, take care of your teeth fastidiously and see a dentist at the earliest sign of tooth or gum problems, while the problem remains small.

Many legislators are trying to include dental care into Medicare coverage, but this is not yet the standard. Until then, the newly retired need to either privately pay for coverage or pay up. A poor choice is to go without dental visits. Please don’t make that choice.