MDC Group Inc’s Blog

4 Ways To Get Cheaper Dental Care

Dental care can really take a bite out of your wallet. Even if you have insurance — and just over half of people do, says the National Association of Dental Plans — the typical co-insurance is only 50% on major procedures such as root canals, bridges, and crowns, which run $750 and up.

1. Don’t rush for coverage. Monthly dental insurance premiums may be modest — averaging $97 for a family, per the National Association of Dental Plans — but that’s because benefits tend to cap out at around $1,000 a person.

So if you don’t already have coverage, you’ll want to review premiums and out-of-pocket costs in light of your past and potential future usage. (Search ehealthinsurance.com for plans.)

Unlike medical care, dental needs are often foreseeable, says Matthew Messina, a Cleveland dentist and adviser for the American Dental Association. He suggests asking your dentist what you might expect this year — from implants to replacement fillings — and look back on last year’s visits. If you typically get only cleanings, insurance probably won’t be cost-effective.

“But if you’ve had a lot of root canals and crowns, chances are you’ll need more,” says Iowa City dentist Patricia Meredith. In that case, insurance may be a good buy — as long as you get a plan in which your dentist is in-network.

2. Pay for prevention. Decided not to buy insurance? Don’t skimp on those regular checkups. They may cost a few hundred dollars a year, but “investing in maintaining your teeth can help you avoid more expensive procedures down the road,” says Meredith. A simple crack can be easily filled, for instance, but if it goes too long without care, it may require a more costly root canal.

3. Investigate discounts. Should you suddenly face a big-ticket procedure, consider enrolling in a dental discount program. Such plans entitle you to 10% to 60% off care within a few days of signing up. Prices run $80 to $160 a year for singles, $130 to $200 for families.

“Some are good deals, but you need to do your research,” says Meredith. To avoid fly-by-night operations, don’t buy based on an ad. Instead, call your dentist’s office to find out what plans are accepted, and which give the best benefit for the care you need. Then weigh the discount against the cost.

Alternatively, see whether your dentist will give you a break for paying cash upfront, says Messina; he says you might get up to 10% off.

4. Ask about stopgaps. If you do have insurance but have maxed out the benefit, ask if any temporary measures will get you through until next year, when your benefits re-up; for example, a filling may stand in for a crown.

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The Law of Clarity

By: Brian Tracy

Clarity accounts for probably 80% of success and happiness. Lack of clarity is probably more responsible for frustration and underachievement than any other single factor. That’s why we say that “Success is goals, and all else is commentary.” People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine. This is true everywhere and under all circumstances.

The Three Keys to High Achievement
You could even say that the three keys to high achievement are, “Clarity, Clarity, Clarity,” with regard to your goals. Your success in life will be largely determined by how clear you are about what it is you really, really want.

Write and Rewrite Your Goals
The more you write and rewrite your goals and the more you think about them, the clearer you will become about them. The clearer you are about what you want, the more likely you are to do more and more of the things that are consistent with achieving them. Meanwhile, you will do fewer and fewer of the things that don’t help to get the things you really want.

The Seven Step Process for Achieving Goals Here, once more, is the simple, seven-step process that you can use to achieve your goals faster and easier than ever before.

First, decide exactly what you want in each area of your life. Be specific!

Second, write it down, clearly and in detail;

Third, set a specific deadline. If it is a large goal, break it down into sub-deadlines and write them down in order;

Fourth, make a list of everything you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal. As you think of new items, add them to your list;

Fifth, organize the items on your list into a plan by placing them in the proper sequence and priority;

Sixth, take action immediately on the most important thing you can do on your plan. This is very important!

Seventh, do something every day that moves you toward the attainment of one or more of your important goals. Maintain the momentum!

Join the Top 3%
Fewer than three percent of adults have written goals and plans that they work on every single day. When you sit down and write out your goals, you move yourself into the top 3% of people in our society. And you will soon start to get the same results that they do.

Review Your Goals Daily
Study and review your goals every day to be sure they are still your most important goals. You will find yourself adding goals to your list as time passes. You will also find yourself deleting goals that are no longer as important as you once thought. Whatever your goals are, plan them out thoroughly, on paper, and work on them every single day. This is the key to peak performance and maximum achievement.

Action Exercises
Here is how you can apply this law immediately:

First, make a list of ten goals that you would like to achieve in the coming year. Write them down in the present tense, as though a year has passed and you have already accomplished them.

Second, from your list of ten goals, ask yourself, “What one goal, if I were to accomplish it, would have the greatest positive impact on my life?” Whatever it is, put a circle around this goal and move it to a separate sheet of paper.

Third, practice the seven-step method described above on this goal. Set a deadline, make a plan, and put it into action and work on it every day. Make this goal your major definite purpose for the weeks and months ahead.

Get ready for some amazing changes in your life.