Low Cost Dental Clinics vs. Private Practices: Pros and Cons
By Susan Braden
Published Nov 09 2009
Low cost dental centers are becoming popular in growing cities and in heavily metropolitan areas across the US. These easily accessible dentistry clinics allow less need to commit to a single dentist, which may contribute to their wide appeal. How do private practices compare to these centers? Understanding the pros and cons of both centers and private practices will help you to make an informed decision as you decide where you should take care of your oral health needs.
What is the difference between a low cost center and a private practice?
From an outside point of view, many people may assume that dentistry centers and private offices are the same. Upon greater examination, you will find that these two types of dentistry providers offer different terms and services, and are designed quite differently. The centers are often designed like large corporations that may have many locations in different areas. A private practice, however, is a stand-alone dentistry office, owned by one dentist or a very small group of dentists.
Low Cost Dental Centers
Pros: There are several benefits to these centers. They have multiple general dentists on staff at one location, which offer patients easy access to care for emergency dentistry needs. Other benefits of these clinics include board-certified specialists on staff for services such as orthodontics, oral surgery, and periodontics. These clinics are helpful for those who prefer to visit just one office to address all their dentistry needs, without the need to move from location to location! They are often highly accessible for walk-in patients, and accept broader forms of payment plans such as insurance, discount plans, and even government-assisted programs.
Cons: As with most corporations, these clinics are designed to get you the assistance you need and then to move on to the next person in line. This design can cause the dentist-patient relationship to be less personable. They will also often employ an answering service or call center to set appointments for patients.
Private Practices
Pros: You might think of a private practice as a helpful neighbor down the street. These dentists tend to see the same patients on a consistent basis to address their general dentistry needs. This design means that a private general dentist will know your oral history as a person, not just as a chart! If you do not enjoy quick, impersonal dentist visits, a private practice may be the better option for you.
Cons: A private dentist office will have an established patient database, which means that when you try to set an appointment, you may have to wait a significant period of time before getting into the dentist chair. Some of these dentists do not accept walk-ins, but will be limited by what type of insurance, discount or government-assisted programs they accept. Some will not accept any of the above, but make the patients submit any claims to their insurances on their own. In addition to these difficulties, any oral problem outside of the general dentist's expertise will require a specialist visit, and the patient will have to be referred to another location to see a specialty dentist. Most private practices tend to focus on only one area of dentistry, and are not designed to treat various oral specialty needs.
In the end, the type of dentist office that you choose may depend on your personality and what you believe to be most important for your specific oral needs. Visiting a low cost center may be exceptionally helpful if you have a busy lifestyle or if your family is on a budget, but your visits may lack the personal relationship that you might find at a private practice. Both types of dentist offices are designed to provide quality dentistry work for healthy teeth and pretty smiles, but their atmospheres are very different. If you are pressed for time, and if convenience is your priority, a low cost center may be the best option for your oral needs. However, if you prefer a warmer relationship with your dentist and a more personable environment, a private practice may be the best help to you.
For more low cost dental tips from Susan Braden, see this article.
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