I was in an accident a few years ago and lost some teeth. At the time, all I could afford to replace them with was a partial denture, but knew I would eventually get implants. I’ve done a ton of research and recently found an implant dentist that has great patient reviews, so I went to see him. We both agree that implants are the way to go and I can’t wait to get started. I’ll be having surgery to place four implants and then I’ll go back in 6-9 months to have the crowns placed. Here’s the deal… I was totally caught off guard when they told me that I’d need to pay for the entire procedure up front. That’s a lot of money to put up in advance, considering it will take many months to complete. Do most dentists ask for the entire amount up front? Should I question him more about it? — Daniel
Daniel,
You certainly have the right to ask a few questions regarding the procedure and the finances of it, so hopefully you’ve developed a trust and feel comfortable doing so. If you have any doubt in his/her capabilities or practices, consider it a red flag and keep looking. With that said, you need to keep in mind the complexity of the dental implant procedure. It requires a lot of skill on the doctor’s part and there are extremely high fees for materials and lab work that the doctor has to pay for many months in advance to you having a finished product. That’s why asking for payment upfront is not uncommon. Today, many doctors have finance plans they can offer patients (some are even interest free) to help make it more affordable. The approval typically only takes a few minutes and you can get started on the procedure that day. Good luck!
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