Why is it you can go to the ER if you break a bone but there no ER for Dentists?!
Question: Why is it you can go to the ER if you break a bone but there no ER for Dentists.?
I chipped one of my wisdom teeth in half and need it removed. I have insurance but it only covers half the cost for removal. I am in really bad pain and my dentist told me if I don't get it removed soon that things could get much worse. Why is it if I break a bone I can go to the ER and get it fixed and they bill me later but if I break a tooth I have to suffer unless I come up with tons of money and risk things getting worse. I know about Dental Schools and Care Credit. I could not find any schools near me and got denied for care credit. Any help would be great. Health Question & Answer
Answers:
The ER is presumably for life threatening things or things that must have attention quickly to avoid them becoming a life threat. Unfortunately, teeth are not usually one of those items-however, if the dental injury is bad enough the ER does have dentists on call. If you kissed the dashboard, for instance- the oral surgeon will be called in. In your current case, I'd suggest you call around to other dentists in the area and find one who is willing to work out a payment schedule with you to cover the other half of the cost your insurance will not pay. A decent dentist is willing to work with you, and understands that the cost issue is a pain in the wallet. Part of the problem with insurance is that we traditionally have viewed dental care as a nice to have thing, rather less important than medical care. As you noticed, the cost is not cheap and insurance has not kept up with the rising costs. It's not the nature of an insurance company to want to pay out the big bucks either- which is why they pay more towards preventative care than reconstruction. They'd rather pay less and encourage you to take care of the teeth than pay for the expense it takes to fix them. Even when the cause is something like a broken tooth which can't always be avoided. Insurance companies are a business, after all, in the business to make money- not pay it out. Best advice is to dentist shop at this point.Health Question & Answer
Some hospitals do have emergency care (so do dental schools but you said you know that...) Usually hospitals in the lower-income areas will help patients who need it, regardless of their ability to pay.Health Question & Answer