You don’t have dental insurance. Maybe you're in between jobs, or not covered by you're parents insurance anymore - so, you’ve been putting off going to the dentist to try and save money. But what happens if you need a lot of dental work? How do you justify the cost when you have a car payment and student loan debts to think about?

Do you know that you could be putting yourself at greater financial and physical risk by not going to the dentist? For starters, if you wind up needing major dental work, you’ll be paying a ton for it. Additionally, studies confirm that there is a connection between poor oral health, such as gum disease and other serious conditions, such as heart disease.

Serious stuff - but we have good news for you! Discount dental plans are an affordable alternative to traditional dental insurance. These plans are not insurance; instead, they offer access to dental services at a discounted rate. So, in return for the monthly fee, you can choose from a network of dentists who will typically give between 10 to 60 percent rate reductions for certain services. For example, a $1,000 crown might only cost $600 for a member of a discount dental plan.

Here are some of the big benefits of a dental discount plan:

• Cost: They usually cost less than traditional dental insurance.
• Payment Options: You pay for the service in full, or negotiate a payment plan with the provider.
• Paperwork: There is no claim paperwork to fill out, since there is no reimbursement.
• Annual restrictions: Typically there aren’t any restrictions on how many procedures you can get at a discounted price annually. Some traditional dental plans, however, limit coverage.
• Plan Duration: These plans generally run for a year, so you can switch plans if you need something different. If you have a dentist already, find out if he or she takes the plan. If not, you'll need to find one who does.
• Elective Services: Many discount dental plans include elective services, which are usually not covered by traditional insurance plans. For example, cosmetic procedures like tooth whitening are included in many discount plans' schedules of services.
• Freebies: Discount plans may throw in freebies—like vision benefits, for example

Sounds pretty easy, right? It’s worth looking into. Bottom-line is that healthy teeth can save you money. Having a healthy smile even improves your job prospects. So take steps right now to take care of your dental health because what they say is true: the choices you make when you’re younger really do affect you later in life—especially when it comes to your overall health. If you are interested in a discount dental plan, click the image below and talk with a Solstice team member today - we will help you get setup!