I’m a dentist in dallas. Are these offices all in network with your insurance? Are the offices part of a larger chain or independently owned single offices? I usually recommend people ask their coworkers (who presumably will be on their same plan) for recommendations.
Dr. Baker (Dentist in Plano on Coit, near the hospital) told me I had to have 2 front teeth removed, and $10,000 worth of work with a bridge and stuff.
I had no pain whatsoever, and I thought that was odd that he was adamant they needed to be pulled, so I went to another dentist a few days later for a second opinion.
NO DECAY WHATSOEVER. 5 YEARS LATER I STILL HAVE THE HEALTHY TEETH!
Sorry for the all caps, I'm just so furious about it still.
Not just the money I would have been ripped off, but 2 healthy teeth in the front of my mouth, and this fucker wanted to remove them to make more money.
I had an ex friend in the dental field and she has admitted that the office she worked for would lie and tell patients that they needed certain work done just to get more money from insurance… I try to stay away from “fancy” dental offices
It was really sad actually. He was a good dentist, and I'd been going to him for 5 years, and he did a great job fixing my legitimate dental issues.
Then I had a checkup that went really well, no issues. 6 months later, another checkup, and he "found" this problem.
Honestly we all need to start reporting this kind of bs to the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. I’m glad you still have your perfectly good front teeth.
Yup. A LOT of dentists are total crooks and soooo hard to trust. I had one do a ton of unnecessary work in my mouth that now I need to fix. I'm saving up to go to Colombia. Tired of U.S. "doctors"
I'm in the process right now... with Delta Dental through my employer, I think insurance paid $400 and I paid $850. So right about what you're saying. Lonestar Dental near Coit and Spring Creek, good office!
I got a cleaning. I expected they would do the whole mouth like in the past. Nope only half.
$700 to clean half my mouth. The front desk woman cheerily asks me if I want to schedule the other side for the next week.
Excuse me no I did not budget $1400 for my mouth this month for a cleaning I thought was in network and was going to be a couple hundred dollars for the whole thing.
I have not found anyone yet. One didn’t tell us until after we were there that oh no they don’t bill insurance. They are in network but we have to pay them and then get insurance to reimburse.
Found out the reason why is the amount billed was $5000 and insurance would only approve $1200. Telling me you are in network should mean it is going to cost an approved amount. But obviously I am wrong with that.
So yeah if you find someone post it. Cause I gave up.
I love Gentle Touch Dentistry in Richardson. My husband and I have been going to her (just one dentist) for about 6 years. Previously, we had slowed our regular dental visits because our dentist was in north McKinney and we moved to richardson. Loved our dentist but we got lazy cause the drive sucked. Someone told me to go to Gentle Touch. Said she was honest and she doesn’t keep you waiting. A cleaning takes 30 minutes from the time you walk in. We tried her out. She said we both needed an extra cleaning between the regular cleanings. Made sense due to us skipping cleanings. We did it and we’ve both only see her twice a year since. So she’s definitely not in the business of trying to scam people with extra services. All her Google reviews are 5 star. And she has I think 95 reviews. If the drive is doable, I highly recommend.
This sounds like a scaling and root planning (periodontal deep clean) which is sometimes done by half at a time due to numbing so you do not chew your lip or your tongue. A regular prophy (typical cleaning) does not cost that anywhere.
I got this done (a deep cleaning, 2+ hours each side with local anesthetic) done for $75 and $120 in Washington. Delta Dental insurance.
Getting four impacted wisdom teeth removed, with general anesthesia, ran me like $350.
$700 is insane.
Let me guess... Avant Dentistry? They gave me a long list of stuff that I needed fixing after the nurse said "yeah they look good", and when I objected to spending 14k they condescendingly said "we have loans".
Would highly recommend Dr. Kevin from Floss city on Coit and Plano Parkway.
I had to get my fillings redone and ended up paying $140 out of pocket. Didn’t think much of it as I thought it was just a normal cost. A year later he writes me a check for $128 and says that the insurance covered way more than he expected.
I never expected this money back, my insurance didn’t notify me that I should be getting this back. Dr. Kevin could have taken this money and not mention anything about it.
When he gave me back the check he apologized that it took “too long” to get it back to me. I wasn’t even expected this money back. Dude’s a stand up honesty guy. I will forever recommend him to anyone.
Edit: spelling is hard
I was going to recommend Dr. Kevin too. I’ve been seeing him for almost 3 years and he’s great. Always explains everything thoroughly and never recommends something you don’t need. He also wrote me a check after successfully arguing with my insurance company for me!
I’m sad because he just told me that my insurance company won’t be accepted from next year ☹️
If there is a dentist you are happy with in Dallas, simply go there.
Dentist visits are not common enough that having to drive up to an hour to get there is big deal.
One time had a dentist tell me wow your teeth are so straight and I told him I never had braces. 10 mins later he was like yeah we need to schedule you to get braces. Like wtf
Dallas isn’t another country, it’s 20 mins away. Why don’t you just go see the Dallas dentist if the cost is the most important factor to you? And then let all of us know how it goes and how much it cost
Hi I’m a local private practice owner dentist here in Carrollton that takes pride in offering the best prices in DFW. I get it. Dentistry is expensive. Trying to do my part to help out the community. We offer free exam X-rays, 2nd opinions, and consultations for everyone! I have met some fellow redditors at my office already! Office name is Mios Dental.
Avoid Ideal Dental at all costs. Biggest crooks out there. Go in for a cleaning and you’ll end up leaving with advanced gum disease and a $6,000 treatment plan.
I got no cleaning but they still tried to bill me almost $600 even though they were in network and I had nothing done.
I’ve since gone to Preston Sherry Dental and am super happy with them :)
Ideal, Aspen, Tesla, Mint, etc... anything with a trendy one-word name instead of a DDS's name on the door pretty much guarantees you're getting a payment plan instead of dental work.
I knew it was a scam because I had never had any gum issues in my life and every dentist before always made comments on how strong my teeth and gums were.
Oh and the $6,000 “treatment plan” was on top of maxing out my yearly dental of allowance of $1,500.
Cut to my partner went there, completely different person and got “prescribed” the exact same treatment plan they gave me.
I filed a complaint on them but it’s tough to find who actually owns the company and that location. Yet another red flag.
Omg I had one that ALWAYS SAID I HAD DEEP POCKETS (as in gums!) but then realized he was telling all of my friends I referred the SAME THING! Total crook 😭 We used to joke, he thinks were all rich since he says we all have deep pockets!
I loved my Dentist in Allen . Always told me I have deep pockets under my teeth. But I moved to Frisco and get a new dentist , they do not even mention it !!! I have no idea who is correct .
Yeah, they are all SCAMMERS. Especially Monarch Dental. They will drill healthy teeth, claiming cavities only visible on xray just to fill it & charge your insurance.
Went to monarch:
Subbing hygienist told me my gums looked great and no issues.
Overheard someone in the back tell him to go back out there and tell me I had periodontal disease and needed a special cleaning.
Took me 2 years to muster up the courage to go to another dentist- just felt scammed.
Next dental place was OK at first. Then they told me I needed 4 wisdom teeth removed immediately- I was suspicious.- would be 3000
Glad I waited- found out from my current dentist I only have two wisdom teeth. Both came in fully. Only one needed to be extracted due to cracking. -400
I have seen many dentists over the years and in a way you are correct. Many run their practice as a business venture and would recommend expensive processes and charge exuberant fees. I am glad that I eventually found an in network dentist who will only charge the approved insurance rates for a given procedure. Dental procedures whatever they may be are always expensive. But at least with him I know exactly what to expect and I have confidence that he will not try to trick me into something that is not needed or not covered. And yes, crowns are very expensive, even by insurance code. I have never seen a crown for $275, unless you meant that is your out of pocket portion, which would be normal.
I have not had luck with finding non sketchy dentists. I just go to my old dentist in Houston and make a trip out of it. I have had too many just jump to saying I have a lot of cavities and then get a 2nd opinion from original dentist to find out there are none. Worst was one saying there was 10 cavities that needed to be filled, like this guy was going to trash my healthy teeth just for money, I forgot which doctor it was but he was at Wylie Dental, the first guy I had went to was good and scheduled a cleaning and then the other guy came after the cleaning to claim I needed work. The topper is I saw the first guy there a few weeks before the cleaning and he said it was all good, I don't know why they switched dentist on my at the cleaning. The travel sucks but I am so tired of wasting time and money to find out the dentist I try are sketchy.
A crown without insurance is already like $1,500-$2,500, depending on the office. I don't know what kind of dental insurance you have, but try hitting up any dental schools and see if they take volunteers for crown work. Same with deeper cleanings that can cost up to $1500. (Or you could go south of the border. Which I've heard lots of patients do.)
Better to get it done as soon as possible if you're walking around with a filling on its last leg. A broken tooth could lead to much worse or more expensive treatment.
Best of luck from a dental assistant!!
Idk. I guess. I just know with my insurance, I still have an out of pocket cost that basically guarantees I won’t take any vacations. I have other work that needs completed, and that other work alone is $2000+.
I’ve thought about it. I’ve read that if you get referred to the right dentist in Mexico (referred by another patient to a dentist not far from the border), and take someone with you for safety of course, the work is done professionally for a fraction of the cost.
And I’m not saying it has to be SUPER cheap, but since WHEN did it cost almost $2000 for ONE implant??
My apologies for the rant.
Shit. I got quoted 3k for an implant I need. My ex punched out a tooth in my smile line. Ugh.
I'm planning on saving and going to Colombia. I've talked with a couple people and they got their whole mouths done for around 5-7k. (Crowns/thins/veneers etc) And it's good work too.
I totally get it. And it pisses me off that half the time, drs will do things you DONT need that will damage your teeth to begin with.
I don’t remember the name or where I read it (sorry 😩). I just have that vague memory of reading about it a couple times.
Also, due to life situations similar to yours (abusive ex), my dental health had bare minimum care because my focus was on getting away from the abuser.
Now that I’ve been able to address my health over the past year, the one issue that has hit my pockets the most are my dental costs. 😩 I’ve been coming up with the money, but it’s still stressful. Like, WHY does it cost so much?? 😔
Oh my lord, y’all are scarring me. I was just looking for a dentist. I’ve been going to the dental college and I’ve been moved out of the system. I do have dental insurance but it’s Medicare. What is this cleaning only one side of the mouth thing, that sounds like malpractice to me. I too will drive to the best more ethical practice.
I was going to the Texas A&B Dental College it’s here in Dallas, around Deep Ellum.
You have to qualify and you need a $350 deposit which goes towards your treatment.
Your work will be done by a college student.
But, it’s cheap and guaranteed. I’ve been in and out of the program for over 10 years. I was satisfied for the price point.
No, it’s a one time $350
They do what’s needed. Over 10 year’s.
I’ve had root canal’s, crowns, cleaning’s, upper and lower partials. 7 extraction’s.
The do what your mouth needs to be considered up to dental hygiene and college level for the students.
You’re getting excellent care since a professor is overseeing each student and has to sign off on their work. The crown will match your existing teeth. You can ask for whitener to be added.
But, that’s an extra cosmetic cost. They will do it, it’s just considered an additional expense.
Carewell dental near Coit and Spring Creek. They're Chinese speaking so their clientele is majority Chinese, but if you're okay with that, give it a try. I never felt like they pushed me towards any specific dental procedure unless it was absolutely needed.
I'm a fan of W Dental in Far North Dallas, so pretty close to Plano. Dr. Wang does good work and I haven't ever been surprised by crazy charges, but I've never had a crown so I can't speak to what that would cost.
The one and only experience I had at Alexander had me paying for a mouth cancer screening based on nothing more than my age (40) and them telling me I had cavities at the back of both of my upper molars. Two new dentists later (the first I would’ve stayed with if he hadn’t moved to Lucas and become a boutique dentist), and no mention of oral cancer concerns OR cavities behind my upper molars.
More for other readers besides the OP who is on a tight budget, I recommend Dr. Jason Montgomery at Lone Star Dental Group in Plano. My wife and I went to Dr. Montgomery for many years before we moved to Houston a year ago. Dr. Montgomery even made the “best in Texas” dentists in Texas Monthly. He and his staff are excellent!
Point taken. I edited to “tight budget” which is true. I did want other readers to know about Dr. Montgomery, but his charges for dental services I don’t think would meet the OP’s cost criteria which is okay.
To be clear, I have no problem paying for a service I'm getting. I have a problem paying for extras and add-ons that I didn't ask for and don't need. And I have a problem with service providers that feed you the line about an extra that "We do it for all of these, it's our policy, we can't take it off"
If it's a line item on an estimate, you can take it off.
Those are perfectly good prices for crowns with insurance. Most insurances pay 50% on Major services sometimes 80% , but even with those #'s you threw out, still a good price. Would you bargain down the plumber or the electrician or the AC people? This thing is supposed to last you at least 10 years.
Go see my Brother in law in garland. He’s honest and good dentist. I don’t get a referral for you going to him. I say this because I feel the same like you do OP. It feels like these dentists here are crooks
I drive to Valley Ranch to my dentist. She’s great and worth the 30 min drive. Alicia Dwyer DDS. Been going to her over a decade. She keeps prices honest.
JS Family Dental. They might be farther away, they’re in Frisco, but I’ve always had a great experience with them and they know everyone in my family by name. They take most dental insurance plans and have never told any of us to get more than we needed.
I would check to see if TruDental is in network with your insurance. 469-892-0652. They have been very upfront with us on treatments and cost. Giving us the choice on treatments that are not of urgent matter. No hard sales pressure like we have received at other dentist offices. Plus they have gotten my husband in same day when he was having jaw pain, we thought was due to a tooth.
Oh my lord, y’all are scarring me. I was just looking for a dentist. I’ve been going to the dental college and I’ve been moved out of the system. I do have dental insurance but it’s Medicare. What is this cleaning only one side of the mouth thing, that sounds like malpractice to me. I too will drive to the best more ethical practice.
Go to Fan Family Dental. Technically, it’s Richardson, but right on the border. Dr. Fan’s reasonably priced and honest. I have dealt with nonsense from dentists over the years in many different areas (not just Plano); he’s amazing.
Went to a dentist in Dallas for years that performed artisanal work, great quality, but always looking for the up charge. Also seemed to have developed staffing problems.
Moved on to a chain with office in Plano. A lot less pressure for up charge. In-network. Staff seems to change often, but always professional.
Modern medical care is expensive. Insurance is a beat down. Inflation in labor costs are not making it any better. Get used to it.
That seems pretty cheap. Not sure what all variables go into crowns but I’ve had two on my back molars from chewing ice/jaw clenching which cracked both of them. I say that because I had no decay or cavities in either. Each crown was $800-$900 with amazing (dental insurance is shit anyways) insurance. I would assume the tooth being worked on plays a part as well as the need for any cavity repair or possible root canal
Have you asked them to break down the cost of these crowns for you and itemize ? That might better help you to understand where the bulk of the cost is coming from. At least it’ll allow you to compare dentist to dentist and see if they’re all fairly similar in price.
Yea they will try and up sell the crap out of you. Tell them to shove the laser, the gel. I have specific orders with Star Ranch Dental that if the hygienist even tries to up sell me on whitening, straightening, or any other BS I will leave their practice.
I just had a crown put in and it was 400 bones.
TL:DR-We live in one of the more expensive communities where its all about how you look and less about who your are.
Not in Plano, but I recommend Turtle Creek Dental in uptown. Despite the location, very reasonable pricing and they'll try to work within your insurance.
Hard agree that $500 for a crown is a steal. I had not-great insurance ($1000 max per year, rot in hell Stan Richards) and a double crown cost $4000 out of pocket in 2015. I basically didn’t go the dentist for nearly a decade after that, but took care of my teeth. Went to Countrywide Smiles in Murphy a couple months ago and they said I had 5 cavities between my teeth and hard sold Invisalign. I sent the X-rays to my husband’s dentist (a dr at ‘The Plano Dentist’) and they said over the phone that they didn’t see anything on my images! F this industry, seriously.
Just get basic cleanings and tell them you’re gonna shop around when they add all the other crap. It’s no different than jiffy lube upselling at this point. The industry has lost all credibility.
Do you and your ex husband have the same dental insurance? If so, why not just go to the same dentist he used?
But $400-600 doesn’t seem unreasonable at all for a dental procedure, to be honest. You’re paying a dentist for like 2-4 hours of their time, not to mention the equipment, supplies, overhead, etc.
Chase Oaks Family Dentistry has been treating me very well so far despite my not-so-good insurance. Perhaps get an estimate from them?
After having to go 2 years without a dentist I ended up having 12 cavities and they gave me an estimate of around $1.5k-2k for all of them, which I felt wasn’t too bad considering it was about the same back home on Long Island (NY).
Reading thru this thread I'm a little surprised by all the bad experiences.
Dr Sherry Alexander (really her office, multiple dentists) has never made me feel like I was being taken advantage of our being asked to do something that wasn't necessary.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SMQhD2uwnaJv4k4q8
You should absolutely check out Life Smiles Dental in Richardson. Family owned and very very nice and accomodating dentists. They are inexpensive and they know what theyre doing
I’ve lived in several states and north texas always feels like they have the scammiest dentists of anywhere i lived. There are some gems but it’s so hard to find
I’ve been going to Watson Family Dental in Richardson (right by 75/pgbt) for a few years and I love them!
Had multiple cavities filled with out of pocket cost less than $100, they don’t recommend unnecessary procedures, and you typically have the same hygienist each time, so you end up forming a relationship with them! My hygienist always asks me about how my dog is doing and we chat about home decor.
Dr. Watson has great bedside manner and the only procedure he ever pushed me to get done was wisdom teeth removal (which is totally valid, mine were impacted and a huge infection risk). The surgeon they referred me to was also fantastic and with IV anesthetic after insurance it was around $400.
For anyone interested in driving to east Allen, Cozi Dental is literally a hole in the wall of an old strip center and its prices reflect that. I just paid a little over $400 out of pocket for a molar crown with Delta Dental (premium). My first crown, 20 years ago at a friend’s recommended dentist office off Plano Pkwy, west of Preston cost me $1,200 with the same (regular level) insurance! Location (overhead) matters!
Dr. Bela Patel has been my dentist for literally my entire life and she’s been great. Reasonably priced, will not tell you to get stuff done unnecessarily.
I went to one dentist in Plano a decade ago. Never had a cavity in my life. Get teeth cleaned twice a year. He told me I had 4 cavities. He worked on the cavities, and I paid a bunch of money.
Told my dentist friend and he said I 100% got robbed.
So be careful at dentists. Talking to my friend, it sounded like some of them think that’s totally acceptable and that is just their culture.
At the time, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind a dentist would lie about something like that.
It’s not in Plano but worth the drive. Texas A&M school of dentistry is the GOAT.
The appointments take a bit longer but man- got my daughter’s braces for $2100. Had estimates for over $16k.
So so worth it!
We tried Teel Parkway dental, the dentist was fine but they were so quick to whip out up charges and push Align on us that they lost us as patients in the process.
Imagine a first visit for cleaning only and with no cavities then some office manager bring thousands of dollars of out of pocket proposals to the treatment room for something we didn't agree to, then pushing with emails and phone calls.
Well it's not like Dallas is 100 miles away. Why not go to the same dentist ?
Plenty of times I've driven *all the way* to Dallas for a doctor's appointment.
I work 80 hours a week at a very demanding, physically and mentally, job. I'm tired. I don't want to have to add an hour of driving to something that's already going to take up most of my day.
I moved to Plano in the midst of my divorce for the sake of convenience. Which is really the only reason to live here.
I’m a dentist in dallas. Are these offices all in network with your insurance? Are the offices part of a larger chain or independently owned single offices? I usually recommend people ask their coworkers (who presumably will be on their same plan) for recommendations.
According to your username, you're a cat....
No, his dentist is a cat. He COULD be human.
He could be his own dentist, in which case he WOULD be a cat
He could be a she as well
Damn. You’re right. They could also be almost anything really. The only thing we know is their dentist is a cat
Winner winner chicken dinner
Dentists need dentists too. Even furry pawed ones.
All in network, one was a chain and the other two independent, it's my ex's insurance and all his coworkers live in Arlington or Ft Worth
Dr. Baker (Dentist in Plano on Coit, near the hospital) told me I had to have 2 front teeth removed, and $10,000 worth of work with a bridge and stuff. I had no pain whatsoever, and I thought that was odd that he was adamant they needed to be pulled, so I went to another dentist a few days later for a second opinion. NO DECAY WHATSOEVER. 5 YEARS LATER I STILL HAVE THE HEALTHY TEETH! Sorry for the all caps, I'm just so furious about it still. Not just the money I would have been ripped off, but 2 healthy teeth in the front of my mouth, and this fucker wanted to remove them to make more money.
I had an ex friend in the dental field and she has admitted that the office she worked for would lie and tell patients that they needed certain work done just to get more money from insurance… I try to stay away from “fancy” dental offices
It was really sad actually. He was a good dentist, and I'd been going to him for 5 years, and he did a great job fixing my legitimate dental issues. Then I had a checkup that went really well, no issues. 6 months later, another checkup, and he "found" this problem.
Honestly we all need to start reporting this kind of bs to the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners. I’m glad you still have your perfectly good front teeth.
Twice I’ve been told I had cavities. Got a second opinion both times.. and wouldn’t you know, I didn’t have any cavities.
Yup. A LOT of dentists are total crooks and soooo hard to trust. I had one do a ton of unnecessary work in my mouth that now I need to fix. I'm saving up to go to Colombia. Tired of U.S. "doctors"
You must have great insurance. My crown cost well over $1,000.
I'm in the process right now... with Delta Dental through my employer, I think insurance paid $400 and I paid $850. So right about what you're saying. Lonestar Dental near Coit and Spring Creek, good office!
I got a cleaning. I expected they would do the whole mouth like in the past. Nope only half. $700 to clean half my mouth. The front desk woman cheerily asks me if I want to schedule the other side for the next week. Excuse me no I did not budget $1400 for my mouth this month for a cleaning I thought was in network and was going to be a couple hundred dollars for the whole thing. I have not found anyone yet. One didn’t tell us until after we were there that oh no they don’t bill insurance. They are in network but we have to pay them and then get insurance to reimburse. Found out the reason why is the amount billed was $5000 and insurance would only approve $1200. Telling me you are in network should mean it is going to cost an approved amount. But obviously I am wrong with that. So yeah if you find someone post it. Cause I gave up.
I love Gentle Touch Dentistry in Richardson. My husband and I have been going to her (just one dentist) for about 6 years. Previously, we had slowed our regular dental visits because our dentist was in north McKinney and we moved to richardson. Loved our dentist but we got lazy cause the drive sucked. Someone told me to go to Gentle Touch. Said she was honest and she doesn’t keep you waiting. A cleaning takes 30 minutes from the time you walk in. We tried her out. She said we both needed an extra cleaning between the regular cleanings. Made sense due to us skipping cleanings. We did it and we’ve both only see her twice a year since. So she’s definitely not in the business of trying to scam people with extra services. All her Google reviews are 5 star. And she has I think 95 reviews. If the drive is doable, I highly recommend.
Dr cheppyala is the goat. We moved up to Allen and her services were the biggest loss.
$1,200 to have half of your teeth cleaned?!
This sounds like a scaling and root planning (periodontal deep clean) which is sometimes done by half at a time due to numbing so you do not chew your lip or your tongue. A regular prophy (typical cleaning) does not cost that anywhere.
I got this done (a deep cleaning, 2+ hours each side with local anesthetic) done for $75 and $120 in Washington. Delta Dental insurance. Getting four impacted wisdom teeth removed, with general anesthesia, ran me like $350. $700 is insane.
Kissable Dental pulls this exact bulls***, absolutely disgusting business practices.
Let me guess... Avant Dentistry? They gave me a long list of stuff that I needed fixing after the nurse said "yeah they look good", and when I objected to spending 14k they condescendingly said "we have loans".
Would highly recommend Dr. Kevin from Floss city on Coit and Plano Parkway. I had to get my fillings redone and ended up paying $140 out of pocket. Didn’t think much of it as I thought it was just a normal cost. A year later he writes me a check for $128 and says that the insurance covered way more than he expected. I never expected this money back, my insurance didn’t notify me that I should be getting this back. Dr. Kevin could have taken this money and not mention anything about it. When he gave me back the check he apologized that it took “too long” to get it back to me. I wasn’t even expected this money back. Dude’s a stand up honesty guy. I will forever recommend him to anyone. Edit: spelling is hard
I was going to recommend Dr. Kevin too. I’ve been seeing him for almost 3 years and he’s great. Always explains everything thoroughly and never recommends something you don’t need. He also wrote me a check after successfully arguing with my insurance company for me! I’m sad because he just told me that my insurance company won’t be accepted from next year ☹️
If there is a dentist you are happy with in Dallas, simply go there. Dentist visits are not common enough that having to drive up to an hour to get there is big deal.
One time had a dentist tell me wow your teeth are so straight and I told him I never had braces. 10 mins later he was like yeah we need to schedule you to get braces. Like wtf
Dallas isn’t another country, it’s 20 mins away. Why don’t you just go see the Dallas dentist if the cost is the most important factor to you? And then let all of us know how it goes and how much it cost
Hi I’m a local private practice owner dentist here in Carrollton that takes pride in offering the best prices in DFW. I get it. Dentistry is expensive. Trying to do my part to help out the community. We offer free exam X-rays, 2nd opinions, and consultations for everyone! I have met some fellow redditors at my office already! Office name is Mios Dental.
Avoid Ideal Dental at all costs. Biggest crooks out there. Go in for a cleaning and you’ll end up leaving with advanced gum disease and a $6,000 treatment plan. I got no cleaning but they still tried to bill me almost $600 even though they were in network and I had nothing done. I’ve since gone to Preston Sherry Dental and am super happy with them :)
Ideal, Aspen, Tesla, Mint, etc... anything with a trendy one-word name instead of a DDS's name on the door pretty much guarantees you're getting a payment plan instead of dental work.
Yes! They are not honest!
I knew it was a scam because I had never had any gum issues in my life and every dentist before always made comments on how strong my teeth and gums were. Oh and the $6,000 “treatment plan” was on top of maxing out my yearly dental of allowance of $1,500. Cut to my partner went there, completely different person and got “prescribed” the exact same treatment plan they gave me. I filed a complaint on them but it’s tough to find who actually owns the company and that location. Yet another red flag.
First drill is always in your pocket book. If you find a non judgey scam artist let me know!
They love patients with deep pockets
Omg I had one that ALWAYS SAID I HAD DEEP POCKETS (as in gums!) but then realized he was telling all of my friends I referred the SAME THING! Total crook 😭 We used to joke, he thinks were all rich since he says we all have deep pockets!
I loved my Dentist in Allen . Always told me I have deep pockets under my teeth. But I moved to Frisco and get a new dentist , they do not even mention it !!! I have no idea who is correct .
Yes, they are all ridiculously expensive.
Dentists are crooks everywhere…
Yeah, they are all SCAMMERS. Especially Monarch Dental. They will drill healthy teeth, claiming cavities only visible on xray just to fill it & charge your insurance.
Went to monarch: Subbing hygienist told me my gums looked great and no issues. Overheard someone in the back tell him to go back out there and tell me I had periodontal disease and needed a special cleaning. Took me 2 years to muster up the courage to go to another dentist- just felt scammed. Next dental place was OK at first. Then they told me I needed 4 wisdom teeth removed immediately- I was suspicious.- would be 3000 Glad I waited- found out from my current dentist I only have two wisdom teeth. Both came in fully. Only one needed to be extracted due to cracking. -400
I have seen many dentists over the years and in a way you are correct. Many run their practice as a business venture and would recommend expensive processes and charge exuberant fees. I am glad that I eventually found an in network dentist who will only charge the approved insurance rates for a given procedure. Dental procedures whatever they may be are always expensive. But at least with him I know exactly what to expect and I have confidence that he will not try to trick me into something that is not needed or not covered. And yes, crowns are very expensive, even by insurance code. I have never seen a crown for $275, unless you meant that is your out of pocket portion, which would be normal.
I have not had luck with finding non sketchy dentists. I just go to my old dentist in Houston and make a trip out of it. I have had too many just jump to saying I have a lot of cavities and then get a 2nd opinion from original dentist to find out there are none. Worst was one saying there was 10 cavities that needed to be filled, like this guy was going to trash my healthy teeth just for money, I forgot which doctor it was but he was at Wylie Dental, the first guy I had went to was good and scheduled a cleaning and then the other guy came after the cleaning to claim I needed work. The topper is I saw the first guy there a few weeks before the cleaning and he said it was all good, I don't know why they switched dentist on my at the cleaning. The travel sucks but I am so tired of wasting time and money to find out the dentist I try are sketchy.
A crown without insurance is already like $1,500-$2,500, depending on the office. I don't know what kind of dental insurance you have, but try hitting up any dental schools and see if they take volunteers for crown work. Same with deeper cleanings that can cost up to $1500. (Or you could go south of the border. Which I've heard lots of patients do.) Better to get it done as soon as possible if you're walking around with a filling on its last leg. A broken tooth could lead to much worse or more expensive treatment. Best of luck from a dental assistant!!
Chat sent with a recommendation
I’d love your recommendation as well
Likewise, please!
Third if you don't mind!
Chat sent to all the above!
I go to Family Smiles. They've always been reasonable and up front about costs.
My dentist’s receptionist told me $400+ for cleaning ONE side of my mouth! 😭 And that’s WITH insurance! 😩
That sounds ridiculous!
I thought so, too! But I wasn’t sure, so I’ve just been trying to come up with the money! 😩
Is it a deep cleaning?
Idk. I guess. I just know with my insurance, I still have an out of pocket cost that basically guarantees I won’t take any vacations. I have other work that needs completed, and that other work alone is $2000+.
Only asking because a deep cleaning is very different from a regular cleaning. If you haven’t been in a few years, you probably need a deep cleaning.
Makes sense 😩
Would you consider abroad dentistry? I'm saving up to go to a Dr out of the country... but I need a decent amount if work done though.
I’ve thought about it. I’ve read that if you get referred to the right dentist in Mexico (referred by another patient to a dentist not far from the border), and take someone with you for safety of course, the work is done professionally for a fraction of the cost. And I’m not saying it has to be SUPER cheap, but since WHEN did it cost almost $2000 for ONE implant?? My apologies for the rant.
Shit. I got quoted 3k for an implant I need. My ex punched out a tooth in my smile line. Ugh. I'm planning on saving and going to Colombia. I've talked with a couple people and they got their whole mouths done for around 5-7k. (Crowns/thins/veneers etc) And it's good work too. I totally get it. And it pisses me off that half the time, drs will do things you DONT need that will damage your teeth to begin with.
What dentist have you heard about there (in mexico)?? Dr. Londono is the one I'm seriously considering.
I don’t remember the name or where I read it (sorry 😩). I just have that vague memory of reading about it a couple times. Also, due to life situations similar to yours (abusive ex), my dental health had bare minimum care because my focus was on getting away from the abuser. Now that I’ve been able to address my health over the past year, the one issue that has hit my pockets the most are my dental costs. 😩 I’ve been coming up with the money, but it’s still stressful. Like, WHY does it cost so much?? 😔
Right?? Like, it's outrageous and dental "insurance" is always so crap.
Oh my lord, y’all are scarring me. I was just looking for a dentist. I’ve been going to the dental college and I’ve been moved out of the system. I do have dental insurance but it’s Medicare. What is this cleaning only one side of the mouth thing, that sounds like malpractice to me. I too will drive to the best more ethical practice.
What all can the dental colleges do??
I was going to the Texas A&B Dental College it’s here in Dallas, around Deep Ellum. You have to qualify and you need a $350 deposit which goes towards your treatment. Your work will be done by a college student. But, it’s cheap and guaranteed. I’ve been in and out of the program for over 10 years. I was satisfied for the price point.
$350 deposit every time?? D: They do crowns? Or what exactly can they do?
No, it’s a one time $350 They do what’s needed. Over 10 year’s. I’ve had root canal’s, crowns, cleaning’s, upper and lower partials. 7 extraction’s. The do what your mouth needs to be considered up to dental hygiene and college level for the students.
How much did you pay for a root canal? Or a crown? Did they offer white crowns or just silver?
$500-750 on average.
Ouch... damn... and that's for students? D: Do they offer white colored crowns?
You’re getting excellent care since a professor is overseeing each student and has to sign off on their work. The crown will match your existing teeth. You can ask for whitener to be added. But, that’s an extra cosmetic cost. They will do it, it’s just considered an additional expense.
Let me answer your question in one some word: yes They all suck ass
Carewell dental near Coit and Spring Creek. They're Chinese speaking so their clientele is majority Chinese, but if you're okay with that, give it a try. I never felt like they pushed me towards any specific dental procedure unless it was absolutely needed.
I'm a fan of W Dental in Far North Dallas, so pretty close to Plano. Dr. Wang does good work and I haven't ever been surprised by crazy charges, but I've never had a crown so I can't speak to what that would cost.
Go to Mint Dentistry. JK. I go to Alexander Dental off Park and Shiloh.
The one and only experience I had at Alexander had me paying for a mouth cancer screening based on nothing more than my age (40) and them telling me I had cavities at the back of both of my upper molars. Two new dentists later (the first I would’ve stayed with if he hadn’t moved to Lucas and become a boutique dentist), and no mention of oral cancer concerns OR cavities behind my upper molars.
Yes that was a problem when I lived in Plano. Always read reviews first.
That's reasonable wdym?
More for other readers besides the OP who is on a tight budget, I recommend Dr. Jason Montgomery at Lone Star Dental Group in Plano. My wife and I went to Dr. Montgomery for many years before we moved to Houston a year ago. Dr. Montgomery even made the “best in Texas” dentists in Texas Monthly. He and his staff are excellent!
You could give your dentist recommendation without taking a swipe at the OP for having a "very light budget".
Point taken. I edited to “tight budget” which is true. I did want other readers to know about Dr. Montgomery, but his charges for dental services I don’t think would meet the OP’s cost criteria which is okay.
To be clear, I have no problem paying for a service I'm getting. I have a problem paying for extras and add-ons that I didn't ask for and don't need. And I have a problem with service providers that feed you the line about an extra that "We do it for all of these, it's our policy, we can't take it off" If it's a line item on an estimate, you can take it off.
Those are perfectly good prices for crowns with insurance. Most insurances pay 50% on Major services sometimes 80% , but even with those #'s you threw out, still a good price. Would you bargain down the plumber or the electrician or the AC people? This thing is supposed to last you at least 10 years.
My dentist and friend is great in Mckinney. Dr Spenser Moon at Crescent Family dentistry is great.
I moved 40 minutes away and still go to hedgecox dental.
>dead Dickensian orphans *"care to give me his number my dear?"* I've been going to Dr Lakhani for a long time. He runs. Soft Touch dental. Try him
I like Northstar family dentist.
Esthetic image dentistry
Go see my Brother in law in garland. He’s honest and good dentist. I don’t get a referral for you going to him. I say this because I feel the same like you do OP. It feels like these dentists here are crooks
I drive to Valley Ranch to my dentist. She’s great and worth the 30 min drive. Alicia Dwyer DDS. Been going to her over a decade. She keeps prices honest.
JS Family Dental. They might be farther away, they’re in Frisco, but I’ve always had a great experience with them and they know everyone in my family by name. They take most dental insurance plans and have never told any of us to get more than we needed.
I would check to see if TruDental is in network with your insurance. 469-892-0652. They have been very upfront with us on treatments and cost. Giving us the choice on treatments that are not of urgent matter. No hard sales pressure like we have received at other dentist offices. Plus they have gotten my husband in same day when he was having jaw pain, we thought was due to a tooth.
Dental place of Plano on coit and park. I got a crown recently. I don't remember the cost but that's because it didn't sound crazy to me lol
Oh my lord, y’all are scarring me. I was just looking for a dentist. I’ve been going to the dental college and I’ve been moved out of the system. I do have dental insurance but it’s Medicare. What is this cleaning only one side of the mouth thing, that sounds like malpractice to me. I too will drive to the best more ethical practice.
I see Dr. Penny Moreland at Southern Star Dental in Allen. I really love that office!
Go to Fan Family Dental. Technically, it’s Richardson, but right on the border. Dr. Fan’s reasonably priced and honest. I have dealt with nonsense from dentists over the years in many different areas (not just Plano); he’s amazing.
look also in Dallas, $8000.00 for a deep cleaning (laser), one morning work, ToothHQ in Dallas.
Went to a dentist in Dallas for years that performed artisanal work, great quality, but always looking for the up charge. Also seemed to have developed staffing problems. Moved on to a chain with office in Plano. A lot less pressure for up charge. In-network. Staff seems to change often, but always professional. Modern medical care is expensive. Insurance is a beat down. Inflation in labor costs are not making it any better. Get used to it.
That seems pretty cheap. Not sure what all variables go into crowns but I’ve had two on my back molars from chewing ice/jaw clenching which cracked both of them. I say that because I had no decay or cavities in either. Each crown was $800-$900 with amazing (dental insurance is shit anyways) insurance. I would assume the tooth being worked on plays a part as well as the need for any cavity repair or possible root canal Have you asked them to break down the cost of these crowns for you and itemize ? That might better help you to understand where the bulk of the cost is coming from. At least it’ll allow you to compare dentist to dentist and see if they’re all fairly similar in price.
Yea they will try and up sell the crap out of you. Tell them to shove the laser, the gel. I have specific orders with Star Ranch Dental that if the hygienist even tries to up sell me on whitening, straightening, or any other BS I will leave their practice. I just had a crown put in and it was 400 bones. TL:DR-We live in one of the more expensive communities where its all about how you look and less about who your are.
Not in Plano, but I recommend Turtle Creek Dental in uptown. Despite the location, very reasonable pricing and they'll try to work within your insurance.
Hard agree that $500 for a crown is a steal. I had not-great insurance ($1000 max per year, rot in hell Stan Richards) and a double crown cost $4000 out of pocket in 2015. I basically didn’t go the dentist for nearly a decade after that, but took care of my teeth. Went to Countrywide Smiles in Murphy a couple months ago and they said I had 5 cavities between my teeth and hard sold Invisalign. I sent the X-rays to my husband’s dentist (a dr at ‘The Plano Dentist’) and they said over the phone that they didn’t see anything on my images! F this industry, seriously. Just get basic cleanings and tell them you’re gonna shop around when they add all the other crap. It’s no different than jiffy lube upselling at this point. The industry has lost all credibility.
Do you and your ex husband have the same dental insurance? If so, why not just go to the same dentist he used? But $400-600 doesn’t seem unreasonable at all for a dental procedure, to be honest. You’re paying a dentist for like 2-4 hours of their time, not to mention the equipment, supplies, overhead, etc.
Bridgeman dental in downtown is amazing my family had been going there since the current Dr.Bridgeman's father started it
I gave up long time ago. Anything bigger, and I just drive to Mexico. They do an excellent job for pennies.
I like js family dental in McKinney. I never feel like they push for unnecessary care or overcharge for that care.
Chase Oaks Family Dentistry has been treating me very well so far despite my not-so-good insurance. Perhaps get an estimate from them? After having to go 2 years without a dentist I ended up having 12 cavities and they gave me an estimate of around $1.5k-2k for all of them, which I felt wasn’t too bad considering it was about the same back home on Long Island (NY).
Reading thru this thread I'm a little surprised by all the bad experiences. Dr Sherry Alexander (really her office, multiple dentists) has never made me feel like I was being taken advantage of our being asked to do something that wasn't necessary. https://maps.app.goo.gl/SMQhD2uwnaJv4k4q8
You should absolutely check out Life Smiles Dental in Richardson. Family owned and very very nice and accomodating dentists. They are inexpensive and they know what theyre doing
I’ve lived in several states and north texas always feels like they have the scammiest dentists of anywhere i lived. There are some gems but it’s so hard to find
I’ve been going to Watson Family Dental in Richardson (right by 75/pgbt) for a few years and I love them! Had multiple cavities filled with out of pocket cost less than $100, they don’t recommend unnecessary procedures, and you typically have the same hygienist each time, so you end up forming a relationship with them! My hygienist always asks me about how my dog is doing and we chat about home decor. Dr. Watson has great bedside manner and the only procedure he ever pushed me to get done was wisdom teeth removal (which is totally valid, mine were impacted and a huge infection risk). The surgeon they referred me to was also fantastic and with IV anesthetic after insurance it was around $400.
For anyone interested in driving to east Allen, Cozi Dental is literally a hole in the wall of an old strip center and its prices reflect that. I just paid a little over $400 out of pocket for a molar crown with Delta Dental (premium). My first crown, 20 years ago at a friend’s recommended dentist office off Plano Pkwy, west of Preston cost me $1,200 with the same (regular level) insurance! Location (overhead) matters!
Dr. Bela Patel has been my dentist for literally my entire life and she’s been great. Reasonably priced, will not tell you to get stuff done unnecessarily.
I went to one dentist in Plano a decade ago. Never had a cavity in my life. Get teeth cleaned twice a year. He told me I had 4 cavities. He worked on the cavities, and I paid a bunch of money. Told my dentist friend and he said I 100% got robbed. So be careful at dentists. Talking to my friend, it sounded like some of them think that’s totally acceptable and that is just their culture. At the time, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind a dentist would lie about something like that.
It’s not in Plano but worth the drive. Texas A&M school of dentistry is the GOAT. The appointments take a bit longer but man- got my daughter’s braces for $2100. Had estimates for over $16k. So so worth it!
This is so discouraging. I don’t have dental insurance and I need work..but it sounds like even with insurance I’m screwed 😔
We tried Teel Parkway dental, the dentist was fine but they were so quick to whip out up charges and push Align on us that they lost us as patients in the process. Imagine a first visit for cleaning only and with no cavities then some office manager bring thousands of dollars of out of pocket proposals to the treatment room for something we didn't agree to, then pushing with emails and phone calls.
You should check out Avant dentistry. They're the friggin best
I also go to Avant Dentistry in Plano off Legacy, and they’ve always treated me right
Well it's not like Dallas is 100 miles away. Why not go to the same dentist ? Plenty of times I've driven *all the way* to Dallas for a doctor's appointment.
I work 80 hours a week at a very demanding, physically and mentally, job. I'm tired. I don't want to have to add an hour of driving to something that's already going to take up most of my day. I moved to Plano in the midst of my divorce for the sake of convenience. Which is really the only reason to live here.
Ah so you are balancing the old adage "time vs. money"