Imagine you arrive early to a job interview. Your suit is freshly pressed, your resume is on point, and you’ve practiced potential interview questions in the mirror a hundred times. You’re the perfect fit for the job. But you don’t land the position because of one little thing — your teeth. This is a sad reality for many of Americans, especially those interested in service positions where they would interact with customers. Aside from bad teeth potentially making you unemployable, they can destroy your social life and self-esteem.
Bad teeth and can’t find a job
Physical appearance can be barrier to getting the job you want, as employers are looking for the “whole package”. You have to look good on paper and in person. CollegeAtlas.org released an interesting infographic on what can make or break a job interview. Number three on its list of turn-offs to potential employers was not smiling. But if you have bad teeth, the tendency is to avoid smiling out of fear that your broken, decaying or missing teeth will scare off your future employer.
Fixing your teeth with no money
The good news is that there are ways to fix bad teeth for free. Mission of Mercy and Remote Area Medical® (RAM®) are two volunteer-led organizations that offer free dental care to those who are impoverished or underserved. RAM® largely serves the Appalachian states, while Mission of Mercy is more focused on Arizona, Texas, Maryland and Pennsylvania. However, since both offer assistance via mobile clinics, contact the organization to find out if or when they’ll be in your area.
One thing to keep in mind is that assistance is on a first come first-serve basis, so arrive early.
Free dental services
Both of these organizations offer a number of free dental procedures.
Some of these include:
- Dental cleanings
- X-rays
- Dental Exams
- Crowns
- Fillings
- Extractions
- Root canals
- Dentures (may be full or partial)
Just note that if you need either full or partial dentures, the waiting lists are usually lengthy. Start exploring your options now.
Dental schools offer low cost dental care
If RAM® or Mission of Mercy are not available in your area or you need dental treatment more urgently, look into finding a nearby dental school. They can perform all of the above listed procedures, including fitting you for dentures, at a fraction of the cost that you would pay a dentist.
Dental insurance and dental savings plans
Even if your budget is really tight, you may find that you can afford to join a plan that can help you get your smile back into shape.
You have two options when purchasing your own dental coverage, a dental savings plan or dental insurance. Your choice should be guided by the dental care you need (and anticipate needing) and your budget.
Dental insurance costs
Dental insurance commonly ranges roughly from about $20 to $60 per month, which translates to approximately $240 to $720 annually for an individual policy, payable monthly. As an example, the Aetna Dental® Direct Preferred PPO plan starts at $406.92/year, you pay $33.91/month.
Dental PPO plans typically covers preventive care at 100% (no out of pocket cost to you) as well as basic services (80%) with in-network providers (after deductible) and major services (50%) up to $1,250 per covered person. Additionally, with Aetna Dental® Direct Preferred PPO, you get a CVS® ExtraCare Plus membership at no extra cost including a $10 monthly reward (available in most states) and can access virtual dental care through Dental.com. The plan has a wide network, you can choose from one of the more than 442,036 dental practices in the Aetna Dental PPO network. You can also see any licensed dentist in the U.S. but you”ll save more when you stay in-network.
Dental savings plan costs
A dental savings plan, such as Aetna’s Dental Vital Savings Plus, costs about $150 a year. With it, you can save anywhere from 15% to 50% off the cost of most dental procedures at at more than 285,583 dental practice locations nationwide.
The different types of dentistry that you can save on are:
- Basic/preventative
- Restorative
- Orthodontics
- Cosmetic
- Dentures/Implants
- Oral surgery
Dental savings plans have no annual spending cap so you can use your plan as often as needed. Aetna’s Dental Vital Savings Plus also includes savings on other health care services, such as prescriptions, vision and hearing care and products, and you can access virtual dental care through Dental.com.
Fix your teeth to help land a job
Having a smile that you’re proud of can do wonders for your confidence and career. Check out the resources provided throughout the article to find the option that works best for you. And remember, take care of your teeth sooner rather than later. It can spare you from needing more costly and complicated work down the road.