Are you searching for a great dentist Kent Washington?
It is no secret that your oral health affects your general health. Thus, if you want to be healthy, you need high-quality dental care. Unfortunately, though there are lots of choices out there, looking for the best dental office and family dentistry provider that fits both your needs and budget can be a daunting task.
Obviously, you want world-class dental care without drilling more holes into your pocket than your teeth. If you reside around Kent, Washington, then this post is for you. Here are some tips on how to find the right dentist Kent Washington that checks all your boxes.
Did you know that only 20% of Americans ages 2 to 64 without health insurance get to see their dentist once a year? This means a whopping 80% of people without insurance don’t get the care they need, including high-quality dental care. It is no secret that skipping out on your dental regular visits can jeopardize your oral health. The good thing is that there are many low-cost care options for people who think quality but affordable dental care is out of reach.
Don’t know how and where to find them? Here are some tips.
Search for free and local low-cost clinics
One of the many places that can give you professional and quality dental practice for a fraction of the cost is low-cost clinics. The availability of free and low-cost clinics is a crucial service to the poor and uninsured in the country. Thus, these dental offices are usually funded by the federal government. They receive subsidies from the government. In most cases, they base their fee schedules using an income-based sliding scale.
While most of these clinics don’t offer comprehensive dental and orthodontic procedures, they are still great for minor dental problems such as dental crowns, root canals, cleanings, and fillings.
When considering this type of treatment, it is best to give the clinic a call ahead and ask about their fee schedules and the services they offer. If a clinic cannot meet your needs, say for example they don’t cater the kind of dental service you need, then you can simply ask them for a referral or recommendation to find other free and low-cost clinics nearby.
Finding a low-cost dentist in Kent, Washington is pretty easy. A quick search online will give you lots of options to choose from, whether it’s family dentistry, specialized dental practice, etc. Some of the better-known low-cost dental clinics near or in Kent, WA, are Kent Senior Activity Center, Health Point Kent Dental Clinic, Sea Mar Des Moines Dental Clinic, and Christ Community Free Clinic.
The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics also has a list of free and low-cost dental clinics dedicated to low-income people without insurance.
Check out dentistry and dental-related schools
Searching for accredited dental schools anywhere in the country is super easy. There are lots of them all over the U.S., and they are staffed by talented graduating students and are overseen by their professional dentists/professors. Also, these schools are up-to-date with the latest dental technology.
These schools regularly offer free (or really cheap) dental services to anyone as part of their course completion requirement for their students.
While you cannot expect to get the most extensive dental service in dentistry schools, they are the best place to get general oral care for half the price of a traditional dental clinic, or even less.
You can also use the website of the American Dental Association (ADA) to search for accredited schools. You can search by state, city, or type of dental treatment you need. To pull up the web page, search for “dental” and “clinic”. From there you can check out the list of clinics.
The results will show you the dental treatment and specialized care (i.e. orthodontics), certain dental procedures, and the services of the clinics.
Moreover, ADA’s website lets you find accredited dental hygienist schools to get free or affordable checkups and dental cleanings.
A quick search online will also show you options in your area.
Take advantage of promotional rates and student discounts
Orthodontic treatments are expensive everywhere. But sometimes, many dentists help out.
Most clinics everywhere offer special promos for whatever reason, like summer promos, back-to-school promos, anniversary discounts, etc. Thus, if you are looking for an affordable way to afford braces for your kids, you should check out the dental clinics near you.
Moreover, dental clinics also offer special deals for students. This is different from student-based discounts on insurance plans, rather, some dental clinics find it reasonable to offer discounts and promos for families with immediate dental care needs with little-to-no means to get them. This can be difficult to find online, but you can always check out national or franchise dental clinics. Special deals and promos also apply to college or university students. You can check out your campus’ health clinic for more information.
Dental care foundations
For people with unique dental needs, your dental provider may refer you to a foundation for financial support.
Note that many charitable institutions donate their resources to affordable and pro-bono care. Dentists and dental hygienists in these foundations practice in their local clinics in either full-time or part-time setup (makeshift clinic days) for basic cleaning and dental work. However, there are some foundations out there that offer dental care for complex and specialized procedures, severe and extreme cases, special needs, and emergencies.
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, for example, has to Give Back a Smile, their charitable foundation dedicated to providing free restorative services for people who suffered trauma from domestic and sexual abuse.
Underserved children can get free dental screening and oral health resources from Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Future’s mobile vans.
For free and low-cost dental screenings, preventative care, and dental treatment for kids with no access to oral health care, check out the initiative of the American Dental Association (ADA) called Give Kids A Smile.
You can refer to your social service agencies for more information about other foundation resources in your area.
The Takeaway
Finding affordable or even free dental services takes a little time and effort, but they are out there. You just have to know where to look.
While there are indeed lots of options out there to save big on your dental care needs, prevention is still always better than cure. Thus, practicing good oral hygiene at home is still the best thing you can do for your oral health. Brushing at least twice a day (for at least two minutes), regular flossing, eating a tooth-healthy diet, and giving up smoking are just some of the simple ways to take care of your oral health.
Moreover, you need to visit your dentist regularly. Your dentist can spot minor issues and address them before they become serious problems.