Cheapest Price?How Do You Know it is Right?

Have you ever thought about medical and dental services being very expensive? For the basic medical services in Canada we are covered with the universal health benefits. We go to the doctor or to the hospital and nobody thinks how much the services cost. We don’t have any idea how expensive it is.

When we go to the dentist, having benefits, nobody bothers to check and familiarize yourself with the bill. Can you imagine doing the same, when you go shopping or going to your car mechanic? We usually check an estimate and a receipt and we don’t like any hidden costs. Only if you are spoiled rich or you have someone paying for you we don’t care about the price. When people lose their benefits the reality sinks in. Usually they don’t go to a dentist or dental hygienist for a long time because the prices seem too high.

Before 2007, we didn’t have any options for negotiating the dental services fees. In 2007, the government of Ontario, realizing that there is a tremendous need for less expensive dental hygiene services, allowed some of the experienced dental hygienist to practice independently. The idea was to provide high quality dental hygiene services at slightly reduced fees compared to the dentist’s fees. But you have to know what to compare. One teeth cleaning might not be the same than the other. Because we personalize the treatment, we cannot compare client A price to Client B price. We have to compare apples to apples and pears to pears. I am going to explain how to do it.

As dental providers we have special codes/names for different elements of teeth cleaning. For example 1 hour cleaning appointment when you don’t have any gum problems, may consist of 3 units of scaling, 1 or half unit of polishing and fluoride treatment. When calling for the price at different dental or dental hygiene offices, ask for the price of those components, then compare the fees. When you have some problems under your gums you will need more appointments and the price for the treatment will be higher.

Some offices offer 30 min cleaning visits for a very low price. In my opinion (and many hygienists agree with me) this is not enough time for a regular appointment for an adult. When you compare it with 45 or 60 min appointment at different offices the price will be higher but you will definitely get better treatment during a longer appointment.

Is it good for us to look for the cheapest price ever? You have to know what your needs are. Not the wants but the needs. It is like changing the oil in your car. Some places offer bare essentials, but nothing more. Other places might have complimentary services bundled in the slightly higher price. It is impossible to have a continuous services (if you need more than one appointment) if you are always looking for the cheapest price and change your hygienist in the middle of your treatment. It is not good for your health.

We have to be frugal and look for the best value at the affordable price. When it comes to our health, it is worth to be aware of all the options that we have and make an informed decisions.