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Teeth, own or false, dentist costs, extractions etc.

Aging Well | Last Active: Jun 12, 2023 | Replies (68)
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@johnclick

I just turned 90 and the only wisdom gained was about Dental
Insurance. Not good advice for everyone, but maybe for someone.
Years ago, I was checking my premium for dental insurance.
"Sounds a little high", I thought. The kicker is here: the maximum
benefit that is paid for dental work over a period of one year. In
my case (30 years ago, the amount was $1,000.) Comparing
benefit to price of premium, the insurance was too costly, so
I canceled the insurance. Over the next 30 years, I saved many
thousands of dollars by self insuring my dental costs/

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Replies to "I just turned 90 and the only wisdom gained was about Dental Insurance. Not good advice..."
Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | Jun 4, 2023

Hi @johnclick
You’re absolutely right about dental insurance. Most plans still, even 30 years later, have a max of payout of $1,000-2,000 per year, with the clock resetting annually. For many people, it would be far better to set aside, in an account, what they’d pay for premiums to accrue over time.

I worked in the dental field for over 30 years and I know how costly some dental treatments can be. It was common for patients to say that they don’t have dental insurance so they can’t afford the procedure. Most of the time we were able to provide patients with payment plans, often less than a monthly insurance premium payment, so that they could have their work completed.
Thank you for sharing your insights on your experience with dental insurance. I hope you’re well and still have all your pearly whites! ☺️

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