| 8 ways to fight high dental expenses |
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6. Get an interest-free
credit card.
These don't actually reduce the size of the bill, but zero-percent
financing helps take the bite out of it. Charge your medical and
dental expenses with a card that's specifically designed to cover
health-care expenses. CareCredit,
for example, offers flexible payment plans, ranging from three-month
interest-free credit to longer-term low monthly payments. Check
with your dentist's office to see if it accepts these cards.
7. Check out
plans offered by trade associations.
If you're a member of a trade association, take a look at the organization's
insurance plans. "The AARP, for instance, has a voluntary program
for members. You pay 100 percent of the premiums, so it's up to
the purchaser to decide if it's in their best interests," says
McHugh.
8. Practice
prevent defense.
The easiest way to lower expenses? Take care of your teeth. And
if you do develop a dental problem, seek treatment right away. An
untreated minor problem can become a root canal -- or worse, an
extraction. "Once you start losing teeth, your other teeth
start shifting around and that causes other problems," says
Karen Armstrong, a dentist in private practice in Jacksonville,
N.C., and an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina.
If the thought of ending up toothless has you worried, there are
some ways to practice prevention.
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Practice prevent defense: |
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You can get more tips on brushing and flossing on
the Web sites for Delta
Dental and for the Academy
of General Dentistry.
Beverly Blair Harzog is a freelance writer based
in Georgia.
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