If you don’t have dental insurance, you can still receive dental care for your family. Dental insurance is not always offered by employers, and you may wonder if you can get by without dental insurance. Dental Health Partners accepts patients who do not have dental insurance—and we are happy help them save for the care they need. For this blog post, we address a few ways you can save for dental care and budget for it with more ease.
The Dental Office Matters
Dental care is important to your health, and so is the dental office you choose. If you don’t have dental insurance, look for a dental office that:
- Offers a cash/check discount
- Provides pre-treatment dental care estimates
- Takes the time to explain and prioritize treatment plans
- Will help you weigh insurance coverage against paying out of pocket
Dental Health Partners in Cedar Rapids has more than three decades of experience navigating dental insurance and treatment costs for patients.
“We offer a five percent discount and all the estimates and prioritization we can for our patients because we want everyone to have access to good dental care. If you have questions about dental costs or insurance, just ask us,” says Paula Kral, DDS, owner of Dental Health Partners.
Strategies for Paying for Dental Care
Whether you have dental insurance or not, several strategies can help make it easier to pay for dental care:
- Prioritizing treatment with your dental care team
- Using a Flexible Spending Account to pay for uncovered dental expenses
- Seeing a dentist who offers cash discounts and pre-treatment estimates
While deferring dental treatment can lead to bigger, more costly problems, prioritizing treatment so you can pay over several months may be a viable option. Ask your dentist to create a prioritized treatment plan so the cost of preventive care and treatments can be spaced out.
Another strategy is to find a dentist that offers discounts when you pay via cash or check. Dental Health Partners takes 5 percent off the invoice when patients pay with cash or a check. Be sure to ask about this at your visit. In addition, we offer estimates to help you budget and save for dental care. This can help you adjust your Flexible Spending Account to the right annual amount to pay for uncovered health and dental costs.
Payment Plans
As of the middle of 2026, Dental Health Partners has partnered with Sunbit so patients can pay over time for dental treatment. Through a simple online application, you can select how you’d like to pay and, subject to approval, get pre-qualified for a down payment and recurring payments. Learn more about Sunbit in partnership with Dental Health Partners.
Flexible Spending Accounts for Dental Care
Not all employers offer dental insurance, but many offer you the opportunity to save for out-of-pocket medical and dental expenses. Flexible Spending Accounts take funds out of your paycheck pre-tax, so they reduce your take-home pay. For tax purposes, that is a good thing. And for your healthcare expenses that aren’t covered, it’s a great thing! An FSA often is administered via a debit card designed just so you can access these funds. You can use it for your co-pays as well as for dental expenses that are not covered by insurance. Talk to your employer so you understand the rules of the FSA. You can also consult with your dentist to get an estimate for your family’s annual dental expenses, as you must indicate how much to set aside for those funds.
Make the Most of Dental Insurance
If you do have dental insurance, we recommend making sure you get the most out of your plan. If your plan pays for two preventive cleanings a year, we encourage you to take advantage of that benefit. Again, we invite you to ask us for guidance so you can get the most from your dental insurance.
Dental Health Partners is here for you! Call us today to learn more about dental insurance, payment plans, and other ways to make it easier to pay for quality dental care.
Dental Insurance FAQ
I don’t have dental insurance. What should I do?
Contact Dental Health Partners in Cedar Rapids to learn how we provide pre-treatment estimates and a financing option so you can pay for your care over several months.
