How not to save money on dental care?

I have observed that many patients have cut back on their utilization of dental services in the last several years. Where as in the past, most of my regular patients maintained a regular recall schedule and were seen at least once per year in the office, now a number of my "regulars" have become "irregulars".  They have postponed their 6 month check up and cleaning from one to three years. When they do come in its usually because they are worried about a  dental problem.

While some of these patients end up with a good check up, some do not and it is my impression that often their delay in seeking treatment makes it more likely that they will end up needing a costly dental procedure. I must report that more of my patients are requiring extractions than in the past. This is unfortunate, since aside from these patients loosing a tooth, the cost of a single tooth implant or three unit bridge can be more than their current budget allows. Many are opting for simple acrylic dentures to temporarily replace their missing tooth. While these removable replacements are an affordable option, most patients are unhappy initially with prospect of losing  a tooth and not having it replaced with a "fixed"  replacement.

The purpose of this post is to make the case that seeing your dentist at least once per year for a cleaning and check up is not only a good idea, but may be the most cost effective alternative for most dental patients.