Dental coverage isn’t included in every general health insurance plan, which can be costly enough on its own. The additional expense of a standalone dental insurance plan can be prohibitive to many individuals who are seeking out dental care. Receiving quality dental care, especially in emergency situations, shouldn’t have to have an expensive price tag attached to it-read on to find out more about where to find affordable dental urgent care in Ohio.
How to get affordable dental care in Ohio
One reliable way of accessing affordable urgent care is looking for clinics affiliated with dental schools. Low-income dental clinics in Ohio are often run by students who are undergoing training at a dental school. Since these clinics are typically run at least in part by dental students who are still completing their training, it is possible to keep the cost of treatment lower. And while the students might not yet be entirely finished with their training and might not (yet) be the best orthodontist in the US, they are directly supervised by faculty and staff who have completed their degree and are certified dental professionals. With this supervision in place, patients are able to see an emergency dentist without sacrificing the quality of their care.
Popular urgent dental clinics in Ohio
There are several options for seeking a dentist or orthodontist at Ohio urgent dental care clinics- below are the details for a couple of the most popular options.
The Ohio State University
- Address: 1st Floor, Postle Hall 305 W. 12th Ave. Columbus, OH, 43210
- Rating: 4 stars
Patients aged 18 and over are eligible for treatment at the OSU emergency dental clinic. According to their clinic’s website, treatment is available for those who are experiencing the following symptoms: “moderate-to-severe pain that is not relieved by taking pain medications,” “oral bleeding,” and “oral/facial swelling.” The treatments that the clinic offers to those seeking urgent dental care Columbus Ohio. Include but are not limited to tooth extractions and root canals. Patients looking for urgent dental care in Dayton Ohio, and those seeking urgent dental care Grove City Ohio, would also be well-served by this clinic, as it is only an hour away and 20 minutes away, respectively.
The estimated cost of treatment at the clinic is between $231 and $310, and there are several options for payment. These payment options include cash, check, and credit cards, as well as CareCredit. CareCredit is a healthcare financing option that allows individuals to make monthly payments for a service over a set period of time, including those offered at this clinic.
Beyond the payment options listed above, Ohio State’s emergency dental clinic also accepts several major brands of insurance, including Delta Dental, Medicaid, CareSource, Molina, and United Health Care Community Plan. However, the full cost of the service is not covered by insurance in all cases, and any insurance co-payments are due at the time of the treatment at the clinic.
Case Western Reserve University
- Address: 9501 Chester Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Case Western University’s School of Dental Medicine also offers an emergency dental clinic, offering a place to go with a dental emergency during the coronavirus pandemic. Care at this clinic is available to adult patients who are 18 or older. Patients who are 16 years old or younger will need to visit the pediatric clinic instead. Similar to the clinic at Ohio State, this clinic caters to those who are experiencing “moderate to severe pain,” “oral bleeding,” or “facial/oral swelling.” Three different appointment times are offered: 9:45 a.m., 12:45 p.m, and 2:30 p.m.
As far as the specific treatments that are available at this clinic, the website makes it clear that the treatments are simply meant to provide “temporary relief” of the issue at hand until follow-up care can be scheduled. Unlike the clinic at Ohio State, Case Western Reserve University’s clinic does not offer root canals. It also does not provide fillings/crowns, dentures, and cleanings.
At this dental clinic, there is an initial fee of $27 for the diagnosis of the issues, regardless of what it is. Beyond that, the clinic’s website estimates that the cost of services will fall between $85 and $115, depending on what is deemed necessary for treatment. The clinic will accept cash, money orders, Visa, and MasterCard for payment. The website clearly states that American Express, Discover, and personal checks will not be accepted as forms of payment.
FAQ
While university-based dental clinics can provide some degree of emergency dental coverage, they might not be the most accessible option for every patient or be able to serve the needs of every patient. In these cases, Medicaid can step in to ensure that dental coverage is still provided.
There are many dental offices across the state of Ohio that accept Medicaid for their services, and it would be difficult to list all of them out. However, the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline provides a simple way to search for Ohio-based services that accept Medicaid.
Some dental clinics in Ohio may offer 24-hour service, but the university-based clinics discussed above do not. These clinics have specific hours during which they are open and also have limits on the number of patients that can be seen each day.
Many dental programs or non-profit organizations in Ohio accept some form of dental insurance. Depending on the specific insurance plan and the services that a patient is receiving, they might be able to receive that treatment either for free or at a discount. However, the degree to which insurance will cover the cost of treatment and whether or not that treatment will be free versus low-cost depends on each unique case.
The cost of urgent dental care is directly dependent on the treatment, the service, or services being performed as a part of the treatment. Emergency dental care could include anything from a root canal to a more routine filling or the installation of a crown, all of which have varying costs and are difficult to compare directly.
