I suffered from a systemic disease which affected my kidneys ending in renal failure. I was on dialysis for 4 years before I found a donor for a transplant. Dialysis causes loss of saliva and very dry mouth which then leads to tooth decay,. Also all the medications I had to take had a very bad effect on my teeth and so they are in need of major dental work. This is very costly. I am asking if there is any financial assistance available for renal failure patients.
I am eager to read your response.
Thank you!
Hi Jonathan,
Welcome to our Forum.
When I worked in dialysis, I often suggested that my patients who needed dental work and who didn’t have dental insurance to check with a dental school. They typically offer lower cost dental services to those willing to be treated by a student who is supervised by a dentist or registered dental hygienist. Here’s a site that lists dental schools by state.
The Dental Lifeline Network has a program called Donated Dental Services. It provides free and comprehensive dental services to elderly and medically fragile people. It has over 12,000 volunteer dentist across the U.S. There’s a map that shows the status of services in different states.
I found this Forbes website that lists dental plans that have no waiting periods.
Finally, WebMD has information on free and low cost dental care. How to Afford Dental Care When Youâre Uninsured or Unemployed
I hadn’t heard about dental savings plans until I read that Forbes article. These offer a 10-60% discount from dentists in the plan’s network after you join and pay a fee. This article says these may be offered by traditional health insurance companies, dental insurance companies, and even private dentists. The GoodRx website has a link to dental savings plans and more.
https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/dental-care/manage-dental-costs-without-insurance
and
https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/dental-care/dental-savings-plans
Hope this information is helpful.