How much is too much for a dental cleaning? And what to do about it?
Wеnt tο аn out οf network dentist, аnd gοt a simple cleaning wіth x-rays done. Gοt thе bill, insurance paid $50, аnd thе dentist іѕ billing mе $295 fοr thе simple cleaning аnd x-ray thаt οnlу took 25 minutes. Iѕ thаt tοο much?
And whаt ѕhουld I dο? Iѕ thеrе a way tο gеt іt reduced οr dispute thе amount?
Sounds normal. usually insurance pays 100% of cleaning and you have to pay for xray.
You write an official complaint to the State Dental Board and to the Better Business Bureau and to the State Consumer Protection Agency. That should get some results.
Of course it would depend on what state or area you are in, fees vary. Cleanings range in price from $50 to $150 depending on the type of cleaning. To you it may have seemed “simple” but if you have exposed roots or deep pockets it could have been anything but “simple”. Add to that the xrays and exam that typically goes with it, you could have a bill of $295. That does seem a quite a bit higher than our fees, but depending on your location, it might not be out of line. You could call other offices in that same vicinity and ask what their fees are. If you were having a periodontal maintenance cleaning that took only 25 minutes I would have a huge problem with THAT, as well. You also have to consider the type of xrays, are we talking 4 Bitewings or a full mouth series? That can add up, too. I can understand why you might choose an out of network dentist, next time you might decide to have your xrays done at your network dentist and have copies of the films or images sent to your preferred dentist if you were to need work. You could also complain about the short cleaning time, you might get some reimbursement back on that as well.