I'm unemployed and just found out I need a root canal. Any suggestions?

[jxnmsdemguy65]

Looks like it might cost upwards of $1,400 ... any ideas for cheaper treatment?

Why don't we have 'socialized dentistry'?

[soleiri]

1. check dental schools

Growing up, we went to USC and got either free or low cost dental work.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

2. I did, but it would take a month to get the procedure done...

WHY IS IT SO COMPLICATED TO GET ANY KIND OF CARE IN THIS COUNTRY???

[uncommon]

3. Dental care is especially hard bc a lot of insurers only cover extractions - and most people don't

even have dental coverage.

Someone posted in GD about a site where you can get fundraising help for this like this - you should go in and check what they posted.

[grace0418]

4. They don't even cover that anymore. I just got a letter yesterday telling me basically

that I have to prove that I needed my wisdom tooth extracted a few weeks back. I'm not sure how I prove that. I didn't take video of myself in excruciating pain from the tooth.

[grace0418]

5. I'm sorry.

Dental pain is the worst. I hope you can get it taken care of soon.

[geebee]

6. Go to carecredit.com

to see if you qualify for their card. It's a credit card just for health care/dental payments that I just qualified for over the phone since I'm facing $5,000 in crowns and bridges and Delta doesn't cover jack. There's a 12 month no interest option (but if you miss a payment you'll pay big time interest). The site also has a list of participating providers.

[david13]

7. I went once into the USC School of Dentistry. They have a bookstore

in there, in the basement. They have a book "Doing Your Own Dentistry - Made Easy"
It's one of the "Made Easy" book series. They have an order form in there for Dremels.
Or, just upstairs you can sign up for a student dentist to do it. The price is reduced, but not free, and they raise it every semester, so the reduced price is not much reduced.
And you might get a good student or a bad one. But.
It's less money. Oh, they also charge for an evaluation before they do anything on you. Which is extra.
dc

[Digit]

8. The dental schools will sometimes move you to the top of the list

For something that is considered an emergency.
I am not sure if in your case it is, but call and find out.

All the best to you!

[noamnety]

9. My ex flew to another country for dental work.

It was cheaper for him and his girlfriend to fly and get a hotel room and have an overseas vacation and get the dental work done abroad than to have it done here.

Teeth fixed, european vacation for two. win win.

[pitohui]

10. my husband had a BIG job but he went to mexico

i've had dental work in no. mex, as well

we saved about $30K but we had BIG jobs

i've heard thailand, costa rica (pricey!), and is it hungary as well but seems to me the cost of air tix would be a factor for those countries, you can't fly to thailand and come out ahead when the job is only $1400

are you SURE the job is only $1400? in hubby's case, at first the local dentist was just gonna do five teeth for five grand, but hubby did some research, realized he would have to have his whole mouth done and the local dentist was a scammer (as later events proved!) so he looked into getting all his teeth done at once and ended up in mexico...if FOR SURE the job was only $1400 just put it on the card and get er done, but in the real world, if the dentist is just luring you in and it's really going to be $14K you should just take one of the other options

no. mex. dangerous right now but thailand and hungary/bulgaria may be the way to go...me, if i need more work, i'll still go to the mex. dentist but i'm hesitant anymore to tell others to go there since state dept. says "don't go," i'm old, don't much care if i die as long as i live while i live...if you're younger you need to take more caution

[jxnmsdemguy65]

11. OK, well I made it to the dentist...

and managed to get some antibiotics ($4) to reduce the swelling... turns out he has a daughter in dental school who will help me get in, should be about $375 for the root canal. Nice guy.

Still I don't think it should be this difficult to get dental care...

[Digit]

12. In the meantime...

Swish with warm salt water, then spit it out. It usually buys me more time when I have trouble brewing in my mouth. My mother taught me this and it always worked for me.

Maybe it acts as an astringent or something?

Just don't swallow that stuff. It is enough to gag a maggot.

[jxnmsdemguy65]

14. I've done that before... sea salt works best

[nytemare]

13. Try modestneeds.org

http://www.modestneeds.org/


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