How to Handle Dental Emergencies

Imagine biting into your food only to feel a sharp pain. You look in the mirror and find your tooth has cracked. That’s when you have to take a trip to the emergency dentist. And emergency dentists are going to cost. There are a variety of ways in which you can pay for an emergency dentist, and we’re going to show them.

Check if Insurance Covers It

Some insurance policies cover emergency dentistry. If you happen to be on one of these great policies your insurance company will cover it. However, check the terms and conditions first. There may be restrictions on the emergency dentist you can use. Don’t accept any treatment until you can confirm that your insurer will cover you.

And under current healthcare rules, children under the age of 18 are covered by the insurance plans of their parents. Most emergency dental procedures may already be covered for your family under your existing insurance policy.

Pay in Installments

Dentists understand that not everyone has cash available to cover an emergency. Many accept payments in installments. You’ll need to deposit a small amount of money as a first-time payment and they’ll likely conduct a credit check. If everything makes sense you can take this option to keep your payments down. Try to shop around because some emergency dentists will pay better than others.

Do remember that dentists are not financial institutions. However, there are companies that specialize in dental financing. When you pay in installments with a dentist the chances are you’ll be going through a third party. In other words, you won’t be paying the dentist themselves. You’ll be paying the third-party organization, which will conduct all credit checks.

The dentist does get to define their own parameters, so some dentists may be stricter than others. But they’re outsourcing all the hard work.

Take Out a Small Quick Loan

Alternatively, a short-term cash loan can be a great option if you only need the money until your next paycheck. A few hundred dollars at a time is within the reach of most people. When you need a loan, quick cash loans are designed for weeks at a time, so make sure you pay them off in full on your next payday. These small loans are easy to obtain even if you have bad credit.

Research providers by using comparison websites. You’ll be able to find the best deal at a glance and most loan providers will give you a decision within 24 hours.

Put it on the Credit Card

For low-cost procedures, you can always put the cost of the procedure on your credit card. Do some calculations and figure out whether you’ll be able to make the repayments. This is simple math and will largely depend on your credit record.

Credit reporting agencies recommend that you try to avoid borrowing more than 30% of your overall balance at once. This can hurt your credit score. But if you need to pay for an emergency dentist and you only go above this limit for a short period of time it won’t cause too much damage to your score.

Borrow the Money from Family and Friends

Sometimes you don’t have the credit score or the insurance policy to cover an emergency dentist. As a last resort, you can try borrowing money from family and friends. Draw up a contract and both sign it. You don’t need a lawyer to make this legally binding in court.

This may seem official, but it’s really there to ensure both parties are aware of their obligations.

Prepare for the Worst 

Don’t scramble around if you need an emergency dentist. Prepare for this possibility by making sure you’re covered under your medical insurance policy. Failing that, save some money every month to put aside for emergency expenses like this.