Caries, inflamed gums, purulent discharge in the mouth – you want to solve any dental problem in a place where your teeth will be treated inexpensively and qualitatively. Treatment centers entice with low prices. It seems like you want to save money, but you are afraid to make a mistake. How to choose a clinic and not to get caught on the money?
We have compiled a check-list, which will help to check the dentistry before you start treatment
1. Transparent, definitive prices
Wanting to save money, it’s easy to fall into the trap of low rates. Unscrupulous treatment facilities lure customers in by promising to make everything cheaper than it is, and when it comes time to pay up – the fees are an order of magnitude higher. Because:
- the ruble has fallen, and consumables imported, so the price has increased;
- had to make an additional shot (or any other service);
- consumption of materials turned out to be more than expected;
- “turnkey” – this is only the 1st stage, and the rest – for an additional fee.
There are many reasons, the result is the same – an exceeded budget.
Dental centers that have been earning their reputation for years use the flat fee option. The cost that you see in the price list will remain the same. You learn it immediately, and not after the manipulation. In such clinics, the option “turnkey” means that all procedures, diagnostic, therapeutic, examinations and work of the doctor are already included in the final payment. There are no surprises.
2. Plan
Avoid the situation when you went into the dentist’s office with nothing, and came out with a huge check, helps to avoid a detailed treatment plan. Not in words, but on paper. First, you can go back to certain points and discuss them. Second, the plan immediately shows if there are any “overcharged” services out there. For example, whitening before the installation of braces is not only not necessary, even harmful. It is difficult to include additional, unnecessary services in a ready-made plan.
3. Guarantees
The lifespan of implants from well-known brands is unlimited. But this is a commitment of the manufacturing firm, not the dental center. Such a guarantee means that the titanium post that is inserted into the gum will not break or rust. What happens if the implant does not take root? This is where the liabilities of dentistry come into play. Large clinics take responsibility and reinstall the implant free of charge. It is worth stipulating that this happens if all recommendations are followed.
The product warranty is not limited to implants. If the center has a high reputation – it extends to restorative materials, dentures, crowns.
But the most important thing is the warranty on the work. Here it is immediately clear that the clinic trusts its doctors unconditionally, is confident in their experience and skill, so it assumes responsibility. You can fully appreciate the importance of such obligations, if complications have begun. Except that in high-class masters they usually do not happen.
4. Alternatives
Sometimes, there is no choice. Acute inflammation, root fracture leave no way out, only to remove. But most clinical cases leave room for maneuver. Remove not the entire root, but only the tip. Insert a post and a crown on it, rather than getting rid of a tooth with a preserved root. Choose a delayed loading implant protocol instead of immediate loading. A competent professional will always suggest alternative ways of intervention that will help heal the tooth inexpensively and efficiently.
5. Diagnostics
This is what you should not save money on. This stage determines the treatment plan, and therefore its success. Find out what machines are used for targeted x-rays, panoramic x-rays, and CT scans. Digital X-ray machines emit 20 times less radiation than analog X-ray machines. The 1.5 Tesla resolution of a CT scanner allows you to see details that are easily overlooked on a 0.8 Tesla image.
Everything that the doctor sees on the image he must explain, arguing the choice of the method of intervention. All results are given to the patient. Based on them, he has the right to seek a second opinion. If nothing is given, it is worth considering changing the dentist and the treatment facility.
6. Materials
Quality consumables are expensive. But it is easy to dump rates, using inexpensive materials instead of expensive ones. We don’t know anything about it. In dental centers, where social responsibility is high, all the necessary things are bought directly from manufacturers or official dealers. All products have certificates of conformity, certificates of quality control.
7. Experience of doctors
If you have already had a negative experience of visiting a dentist, you understand what role the skill of the doctor played in it. 90% of all complications are due to the fault of medics, provided that the patient adhered to the recommendations. You can inexpensively treat teeth, and then long and expensive to get rid of the consequences. It’s simple – the more complex the intervention, the more experience the dentist needs. High-quality specialists invest a lot in their training. They take courses, attend master classes. The official requirement for advanced training for dentists is once every 5 years. In 5 years the lag will become hopeless, there is nothing you can do to help. Up-to-date techniques and new materials appear so quickly that training must be continuous and regular. Medical professionals invest in the development of their professionalism, and clients – in the guarantee of quality work.
8. Range of services
Let’s face it, few of us run to the dentist at the first sign of pain. Most of us wait for “it will go away”. That is why we get to the dental chair when the problem has grown and we can’t put it off. This is where the discoveries begin. Reaction to cold may turn out to be a sign of gum recession (receding), and a tiny spot – a projection of a carious cavity in half a tooth. Going to a multi-specialty dentistry office will allow all procedures to be done in one place. Diagnosis, treatment, prosthodontics, orthodontics, and surgery under one roof is not only convenient. It means that doctors from different departments are used to working together, they collaborate to get a good result.
9. Promotions
Who among us wouldn’t like to save money? That’s why the sweet word “promotion” has a hypnotic effect. Large centers regularly hold promotions, but they will never humiliate themselves to deceive the client. Reputations are built up over years, not only in front of patients. Suppliers and dealers, and, most importantly, manufacturers of tools and materials are not interested in scandals and litigation. But lovers of easy profit are not afraid of risk. Their favorite trick is to inflate the price for the entire procedure, and then announce a 50% discount. There is another way. For example, the discount on implantation is very attractive. And for other manipulations, the rates are greatly inflated. Rarely, when such a complex operation is not accompanied by additional intervention. As a result, it comes out as much as in a place where there were no discounts.
Respectable clinics work on the principle of “all-inclusive”.
Promotional rates there are calculated from the real cost.
Too much discount can mean the following:
- hidden fees;
- inexperienced doctors who are willing to work for a small fee;
- payment is artificially high, or even taken from the ceiling;
- cheap fakes are used instead of original products.
Having seen an attractive promotion, promote several establishments. Are real prices used in advertising? Never a self-respecting center will not announce a sale of 75%.
10. Reviews
Here not everything is unambiguous. Few people will find time to leave a review on the Internet after a successful experience. In order for a person to put everything aside and sit down to write a review, he needs to be well pissed off. That’s why there are more negative reviews on independent sites. And on the sites of medical institutions – more positive. It is better to focus not on anonymous users, but on acquaintances and friends. If they already know where to fix teeth inexpensively, why waste time searching?
Another point is video reviews. Especially immediately after treatment. Here everything is honest – here a person sits in the chair with acute pain, and here he himself tells how good he felt. The whole process is on the screen, it would be expensive to fake it.
How to reduce the cost without losing on quality
Choosing a multifunctional dental center, which fits all the criteria of our checklist can provide dental treatment of high quality and inexpensive, using all financial possibilities:
- real, not inflated promotions;
- the possibility of making an installment plan;
- you can take out a loan;
- some operations are subject to a 13% tax deduction.
In the Moscow center of dental implantation RUTT, for example, consultation and diagnostics are free of charge. And for patients not from Moscow, a remote consultation is organized, also free of charge.
A high success rate in the ROOTT MDI is ensured by:
- Qualified doctors. Dentists have at least 9 years of experience. All of them are involved in a continuing education program. Participation in trainings, symposiums, conferences allows them to keep abreast of the latest achievements in the field of dentistry.
- Membership in the European professional organization Open Dental Community. Up-to-date techniques, concepts from all over the world are immediately available and put into practice.
- Diagnostic methods. Modern X-ray devices SCANORA allow to receive targeted and panoramic images with the smallest detail. This ensures the correct diagnosis and the choice of intervention methods.
- Treatment plan. It is detailed and written. It clearly specifies all procedures and the final price. The cost does not change throughout the entire period of service.
- Contract. Without its signing, no interaction will not begin. The contract details the rights and obligations of the parties. It serves as a guarantee of quality service.
- Guarantees. And not only for the materials, but also for the work. The dental implant center is confident in the qualifications of its doctors and takes responsibility for the quality of treatment.
- Payment. It seems high only at first glance. In most institutions, you have to pay extra at the end of the service. In ICDI RUTT prices include all manipulations. This immediately translates the rates into the middle segment.
An important factor is the convenient location of branches. There are two of them, both of them are close to the subway. ROOTT on Proletarskaya – directly opposite the exit from the subway Proletarskaya. The patient himself chooses where it is more convenient for him to get to.
Dentistry is a branch of medicine based on long-term forecasts. Thinking about where to go for treatment, you need to look ahead 10-20 years. An installment or loan is paid off in a shorter period of time than an implant or a restored tooth serves. By choosing a clinic with good recommendations and a well-deserved reputation, you are investing in your smile and quality of life for years to come.