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Undoubtedly, affordable dental treatment is a real concern for most dental patients. In Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri, all the Higginbotham Family Dental locations can help with those concerns. Higginbotham Family Dental is sharing the ultimate guide to finding an affordable dentist. There are certain things to look for when choosing their provider to make dental treatment more affordable. Read more of our ultimate guide to an affordable dentist below. 

Choose A Dental Office In-Network With Your Dental Insurance

Choose A Dental Office With Payment Plans For Dental Treatment

One of the most important things to consider in this ultimate guide to finding an affordable dentist is a dental office that has payment plan options that work for your budget. Even with dental insurance paying a portion of your copay, dental treatment can still seem expensive or not in your planned budget. Higginbotham Family Dental recognizes this concern for patients and has an in-house financing option as well as offer a third-party financing option. All locations in Blytheville, Jonesboro, Paragould, and West Memphis, Arkansas, Memphis, Collierville, and Bartlett Tennessee, and Kennett, Missouri can start treatment right away with a payment plan option if needed.

Care Credit Payment Plans

There are several ways to sign up for financing. For third-party financing with Care Credit, patients can go to the website and fill out the application online with an immediate answer of approval or not, and for how much. Patients can use the line of credit for that very same day. Care Credit works like most credit cards, but it allows a 6-12 month interest-free payment plan for patients.

 

The biggest issue some patients find with this option is if they miss a payment, the interest-free plan jumps as high as over 20 percent interest of the remaining balance. Another negative to third-party financing like Care Credit is if a patient’s credit score is very low, then approval is not likely. In fact, a low limit may be all the patient can get. Also, it will pull your credit score, and some patients do not want the credit hit on their credit report. So, as long as you have good credit and make your monthly payments on time, this may be a great option for you.

In-House Payment Plans

For patients that prefer payment plans without it affecting their credit report, or don’t want any interest on their balance, the in-house financing with HFD may be the better option. The in-house payment plans are interest-free and do a soft pull on patients’ credit. This soft pull will not show up or impact their credit score. There is a small transaction fee to set up for the plan once the patient accepts it. A down payment is a requirement before dental treatment starts. Down payments are dependent upon a combination of things.

 

There are several key factors that the office considers in the payment plan process. After all, no two patients are the same, and dental payment plans will vary. Dental treatment plans, patient credit score, and patient history at the dental office all play a factor. You can apply two ways:

Online Application

Patients can learn more about  Payment Plan Options at Higginbotham Family Dental at our offices. You can call, text, or live chat with questions. If you apply online through our website or in our offices, someone will contact you to finish the process. First, the application will be under review in the finance department. Then, a treatment coordinator will call the patient to go over the payment options and to get scheduled for the dental treatment. All patients must have an exam and x-rays before any down payments or monthly payments can be determined.

 

In-office Application

Patients that have a treatment plan presented to them by the dentist will also have a financial coordinator go over the estimate. At this time, a patient can ask more about payment plans and fill out an application. Some applications are processed quickly, so patients can get the treatment done on the same day. For patients starting treatment on a different day, they will get called within two business days with the results of the payment plan options. If the amounts are still too high, the dentist and financial coordinator work with the patient to prioritize what is the most important first to complete in phases to also help with affordability while maintaining good oral health.

Choose A Dental Office With A Discount Dental Membership For Uninsured Patients

Many patients put off going to the dentist because they don’t have insurance and have not been to the dentist in a while. For patients that don’t have insurance, one of the best tips from this ultimate guide to an affordable dentist is finding a dental office that has a discount dental plan. The office should preferably handle it instead of outsourcing it to a third party.

Benefits Of A Discount Dental Plan Membership

Higginbotham Family Dental has several membership options for patients. Included in every membership per patient are two exams a year, these can be emergency, periodic or comprehensive. Two teeth cleanings a year. These cleanings can be routine cleanings or periodontal maintenance cleanings for periodontal patients. Also included are two sets of x-rays. These could be individual periapical x-rays, bitewings series, or a full mouth or panoramic series of x-rays. Each patient on the membership plan will also get two fluoride treatments to help prevent future cavities. Without the discount plan, the combination of the above treatments is worth at least $530.

Treatment Discounts

Finally, the last and most significant benefit as a member of the Higginbotham Family Dental Discount Dental Plan is the unlimited discounts patients receive off of their dental treatment. Patients save hundreds and sometimes thousands, depending on the treatment. There is no waiting period or clauses that keep patients from getting the treatment needed right away. An example of estimated savings for a patient requiring a molar root canal, crown, and build-up is $387. These savings alone helps the plan pretty much pay for itself. So if a patient does not have insurance, the Discount Dental Plan is the best option for savings when finding an affordable dentist.

Cost of a Discount Dental Plan Membership

All in all, there are three different plans that patients can choose from when deciding which plan works best for them. Each plan is a 12-month contract. The plan starts the date of sign-up and goes until the following year. Patients can sign up for an individual plan. They can also sign up for an individual plus spouse or individual plus with up to two children plan. Finally, patients have the option for the biggest family plan of individual plus spouse and child or children or the individual plan plus three or more children plan. All in all, the Discount Dental Membership offered by HFD is extremely important in this guide to an affordable dentist.

Individual Plan

On the other hand, the individual plan is $400 a year if you pay it in full at the time of sign up. Paying it in full gives you a $80 discount. For patients that can’t pay the amount in full, HFD has a monthly payment option for the membership plan. Patients will make the first payment of $40 at the time of sign-up, and then an additional 11 payments of $40 a month will be auto-drafted from their checking account for payment. This auto-draft option, after 12 months, has the membership at $480 and will auto-renew at the end of the 12 months. Patients can cancel the plan, but only after 12 months have been paid and must request a cancellation 30 days prior to the renewal date.

Individual Plus Spouse or Individual Plus Up to 2 Children Plan

This plan is $700 a year if you pay it in full at the time of sign up. Paying it in full gives you a $140 discount. For patients who can’t pay the amount in full, HFD has a monthly payment option for the membership plan. Patients will make the first payment of $70 at the time of sign up, and then an additional 11 payments of $70 a month will be auto-drafted from their checking account for payment. This auto-draft option, after 12 months, has the membership at $840 and will auto-renew at the end of the 12 months. Patients can cancel the plan, but only after 12 months have been paid, and must request a cancellation 30 days prior to the renewal date.

Individual Plus Spouse and Children or Individual Plus 3 or more Children Plan

This Family plan is $1,000 a year if you pay it in full at the time of sign up. Paying it in full gives you a $200 discount. For patients that can’t pay the amount in full, Higginbotham Family Dental has a monthly payment option for the membership plan. Patients will make the first payment of $100 at the time of sign-up, and then an additional 11 payments of $100 a month will be auto-drafted from their checking account for payment. This auto-draft option, after 12 months, has a membership total of $1,200 and will auto-renew at the end of the 12 months. Patients can cancel the plan, but only after 12 months have been paid, and must request a cancellation 30 days prior to the renewal date.

 

Examples of Discount Dental Plan Savings

Great examples of why the DDP made the list for the ultimate guide to an affordable dentist, are below. More treatment and savings are not listed. For more information on the plan, contact a local Higginbotham Family dental office or request an appointment online.

Estimated Savings from the Discount Plan

  • Three Unit Bridge-$546
  • Four 3 surface posterior fillings-$196
  • Periodontal Treatment-$39
  • Six Surgical Extractions and a Partial-$467
  • Surgical Implant Treatment for one tooth-$375
  • Invisalign-$881
  • Traditional metal braces-$881
  • Snap On Smile (one arch)-$382

One Response

  1. Great to know you have options for patients without dental insurance and also provide payment plans.