Frugal Pediatric Dentist in/near Boston?

**4sisters** · 05-12-2010, 07:26 PM

Dh and I have four kids and no dental insurance. We would not qualify for gov't assistance, just have no insurance, so I need to find an inexpensive place for teeth cleaning, etc. The rest of us go to Gentle Dental, but they won't take my youngest two kids, who are 7 and 4.

Does anyone have any ideas of a frugal place i could take them? The only dental school (and I called them all) that is cheaper than a regular dentist is Harvard Dental. I took them last year, and it was very, very difficult to pull off (got to get to Boston, then park in a lot a few blocks away, then have students work on the kids for a few hours, then shlep home through traffic. It was worth it b/c the whole thing for two kids including their subsidized parking was less than $100. But it's taken me a year to get up my courage to do it again. I called today and they told me that, instead of having two students (once for each kid) they were only able now to book my two kids sequentially for one student, and I should budget 4 hours for their cleanings. I just cannot give that kind of time.....

Thanks so much for any help! We are just North of Boston, but willing to travel to pretty much any place w/in about 30 mins of Boston.

**TigerGirl1226** · 05-12-2010, 07:53 PM

I'm not in your area, but my suggestion is to ask the dentist that you see for recommendations.

**craftypam** · 05-12-2010, 08:30 PM

I'm not in your area either, but I took one of my ds to a dental school for braces. They did just as good of a job for a lot less money.

**Gentle Dental** · 05-13-2010, 10:05 AM

Hi 4sisters,

I just wanted to clarify that our Gentle Dental offices to in fact see children. Give the office you are seen in a call to double check if your children can be seen. If you need more help, send me an email, matt@gentledental.com and let me know what I can do for you.

Regards,
Matt

**Lady_V** · 05-13-2010, 10:10 AM

Anyways... it is mandatory in MA to have health insurance, you know this... as you live in MA too, right?

Check your insurance policy, I know Neighborhood Health covers 2 cleanings per year for children.

Eta: I'm sick and loopy right now... sorry

**TigerGirl1226** · 05-13-2010, 10:14 AM

Yeah, it's pretty suspicious that "Gentle Dental" just happened to post after. I hate spam.

**Sara Noel** · 05-13-2010, 10:21 AM

The original poster mentioned them. I don't think it's wrong for them to post to clarify facts. It's also not suspicious for any business to monitor how they're mentioned online. Tons of major brands, businesses and media are here daily. I appreciate when they give information. I welcome and encourage conversations. If in the future you had a problem and posted it here, I would think you'd be happy at the response of companies that reach out to make things right. Let's turn this thread back to its original intent.

**Michelle** · 05-13-2010, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Lady_V

Anyways... it is mandatory in MA to have health insurance, you know this... as you live in MA too, right?

Check your insurance policy, I know Neighborhood Health covers 2 cleanings per year for children.

Eta: I'm sick and loopy right now... sorry

Is it mandatory to have dental insurance too or just medical? I live in MA, and I am confused myself.

**Lady_V** · 05-13-2010, 10:37 AM

Michelle - As of right now... it's just the health insurance that is mandatory... but some of the insurance companies realized that dental health is important and offer 2 free cleanings for children per year.

If they decide to make dental insurance mandatory, I will be paddling up the river with a lot of other people.

**4sisters** · 05-13-2010, 12:03 PM

Thank you for the input! I am waiting to hear bck from Middlesex Community College in Lowell (farther than 30 mins, but SO cheap I'll do it ) where cleanings are $20, but they end in May when the students graduate, so I'm not sure if they're still accepting people (also, since they only train hygienists, if there is something wrong, you can't stay at the same place to get it fixed).

In MA, only health insurance is mandatory. We have Tufts HMO which does not cover any dental stuff

(or much else, the darn plan. But that's a different topic, I suppose!).

That's interesting that Gentle Dental accepts kids. That's not what my local office told me last year. I HATE our Gentle Dental office,and would not consider taking my other kids there, but it is nice to know, I suppose, that, if I find an office that I actually like, I could take my kids there.

Thank you for the help!

**Lady_V** · 05-13-2010, 12:12 PM

Pediatric Dental: X-Rays (full mouth) once every 5 years. Bitewings, once every 6 months
and periapicals as needed. Periodic oral exam, oral prophylaxis and fluoride treatment once
every 6 months.

http://www.tuftshealthplan.com/pdf/H...mium_19017.pdf (on page 2)

You may want to give them a call and get a listing of participating dentists.

**4sisters** · 05-13-2010, 02:27 PM

That was SO nice of you, Lady_V, to look that up! I got all excited that maybe I had missed something. I was pretty sure I had the member handbook just about memorized

Unfortunately, that's a higher level HMO than the one I have ("Advantage"--although really, while it's certainly an advantage over having NO healthcare, calling it "Advantage" seems a bit of an overstatement!).

My member benefits say:
"Pediatric Dental Pediatric Dental is not a covered benefit."

Boo!!!!!!! But thank you!

**LynnLC** · 05-13-2010, 03:20 PM

I'm in MA and when my kiddos where younger I took them to Gentle Dental.

**khaski** · 05-29-2010, 01:18 AM

Side note- have you looked at anyplace in NH? not too much farther than Lowell, depending where you go, but everything tends to be cheaper up our way. Though being from NH with no dental insurance ourselves, and 3 of us needing cleanings soon, I think I will give Lowell a call as well.....for $20 a cleaning, well worth the 45+ minute drive instead of the 25 minute drive to current dentist to spend $100+ piece. (they're in MA, cheaper than out our way, but you would not be looking in my area, more the Nashua/Plaistow area, it sounds).