Another dental sob story

**warramra** · 11-20-2008, 08:27 AM

It seems like other F-villagers are having a time with dentists lately. Over the last three months I think I have lived at the dentist. I went in in August to start some extended work on my teeth, then had to put it on hold when dd9 had a couple issues that needed to be taken care of. We have dental insurance, but are required to pay upfront and wait on reimbursement. I waited for more than a month for a reimbursement of $800. On Tuesday I took dd9 in for her last appointment until her cleaning next Spring, I paid out the $500 to them and am waiting on reimbursement.

I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that everything else could be put off until January, after the holiday season. Now, my next daughter has developed the strangest thing, a soft bump has developed on her upper gum above her two loose front teeth. At the same time her cheek has swollen and is tender. I just noticed it Monday evening and it has quickly gotten larger.

I want to take her in today so that we can find out what it is, but no visit ever costs us less than $500 and I know they will want to do panoramic x-rays to check her baby teeth (I want them to in fact), but we just don't have that money this week. I really only have a spare $100 to put towards it until DH is paid next week. So, I'm going into their office with dd6 and beg them to take a look at it and accept what I can pay now. If they say no, I'll take her to the pediatrician and start hunting a new dentist.

This morning I feel as though I'm stuck in a terrible dental, money-sucking vortex that we will never fight through.

**LynnLC** · 11-20-2008, 09:35 AM

I am in the same boat. I have to pay up front as well even though I have insurance.. $300 is the lowest I have paid in the last 4 months and I have a lot more work to have done. Funny how they take my money fast but getting reimbursed takes forever. I HATE going to the dentist! I feel like they are talking down to me - "Are you flossing?" " Why did you wait so long?' Ummm. let's see - I don't have 500 everytime I show up and , yes, I learned to floss in kindergarten! ugh.

**Nana2two** · 11-20-2008, 12:49 PM

Over the last 3 years i have had $4000+ done with my mouth. I had a hairline fracture in my jaw plus they had to some pulling because i had to many teeth and it was pushing against my jaws, i have tmj. I have no dental insurance.

**mmy2grls** · 11-20-2008, 01:53 PM

I do not think it's right they would require a upfront payment for a child. I hope it works out.

**warramra** · 11-20-2008, 02:05 PM

I'm back from the dentist. It went better, than it could have. I called this morning and explained the situation prior to scheduling the appointment. They said that they could go ahead and submit the claim and I could come back and pay them by the end of the year.

Dd6 ended up having to have the tooth pulled, it was already loose before she hit it anyway and the adult tooth was coming in fine. The bump and swelling in the cheek was due to a pocket of infection that had formed in her gum behind the baby tooth. My daughter was a trooper even having to have the Novocaine shot into the roof of her mouth. She is now feeling a bit woozy from everything and is camped out on the sofa watching a movie.

The good news is the rest of her teeth look great and she doesn't have to go back until May for her check-up. Two down and two more children to get into the dentist in the next few months and then I can get back to having my teeth worked on.

**warramra** · 11-20-2008, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by mmy2grls

I do not think it's right they would require a upfront payment for a child. I hope it works out.

Yup, they do. I guess dentists have been burned too many times. It isn't that I have to pay "my" part of the treatment, I have to pay 100% and then wait to get my money back from the insurance company. I am hoping to put together an extra pile of money to just use as a revolving dental account. But, everything has just been coming at us so fast and furious over the last three months we weren't prepared and have been using the EF for it.

**Grayce** · 11-20-2008, 04:17 PM

We had dental insurance that we had to wait to get reimbursed. Our dentist was really good about letting us wait to pay when the money came in. We went for a few years without insurance. What we did was spread out when we went so that we did not have to pay for more than one person in a month.

**Michelle68** · 11-20-2008, 09:34 PM

I'm glad it worked out with the dentist and that your DD is feeling better. She definitely was a brave little girl to have gone through it so well.

**Palooka** · 11-20-2008, 10:47 PM

I think that would be so hard to come up with the money up front and then wait for the insurance to pay you back.

Dental is so expensive. I am still paying them monthly for 5 teeth and I am not going back until I pay this bill off and then it starts all over.

Glad it worked out for you today.