Are you avoiding the dentist due to lack of insurance?
A study from the Institute of Medicine shows that people who who do not have dental insurance are two thirds less likely to have visited a dentist in the last year than those who have dental insurance. This same study shows that most people are aware that oral health is closely related to overall health. After all, among other things, gum disease has a direct link to heart disease. So why do so many avoid going to the dentist?
Turns out cost is the most commonly cited reason for those that do not have dental insurance. An interesting statistic is that there is a direct correlation between length of time between dental visits and amount spent on dental care. That is, the less you go, the more it ends up costing. Of those people who desired to keep their teeth, the costs were less frequent. However, when they did come in, the costs were significantly higher. Turns out they were being seen less often but by the time they did go in due to pain or infection, the treatment was much more intensive, and costly.
Some dental offices across the country have found a solution to this all too common problem. They have taken matters into their own hands and decided to administer a private plan. This plan often times has a yearly or monthly rate that is less than corporate insurance plans. In addition most do not have waitig periods, yearly maximums, or other red tape that gets in between the doctor and patient relationship.
Not having to deal with an insurance company can actually be quite beneficial to a patient’s health. For one, there are no waiting periods. There have been many instances where an insurance company directed a patient to wait in order to treat their infection allowing it to go from bad to worse. Additionally, since everything is covered, treatment decisions can be made by the patient and the doctor without an insurance company choosing treatment without having any knowledge of the specific case. Finally, there are no financial surprises and a plan can be created that is clear and specific.
Avoiding plaque and tartar buildup is the main goal of at-home hygiene and regular dental appointments. Plaque is the cause of almost every oral health concern including tooth decay and 
It’s the dreaded question. Your teeth are being cleaned, and you notice the hygienist is taking an awful long time flossing and picking at your teeth. That’s when it happens, “How often do you floss?” Too often the response is “not very often.” It’s more difficult to build a flossing habit because there’s no instant gratification. With tooth brushing, patients’ teeth feel immediately clean, their breath fresh. After flossing, teeth may look dirtier since the plaque and bacteria are pulled from between teeth, and the mouth can feel gritty after flossing. Worse, many patients experience irritated or bleeding gums for the first several weeks of flossing. The good news is that, when patients floss every day for one week, almost all of these complaints go away, and teeth begin to feel better. The challenge is forcing yourself to floss every day with irritated gums and little if any noticeable improvement in oral health. At 
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People delay essential dental procedures such as exams, crowns, and gum disease therapy because they have no dental insurance. Dr. Tim Vacek of Amberly Dental offers an outstanding alternative called Advantage–the discount dental plan which give participants substantial savings on preventive and restorative services with no deductible or yearly maximum.