I scheduled an appointment for cleaning/exam since I received the money from my dad selling my Nintendo game system on E-bay... it's been about 2.5 years since have been to a dentist because I haven't had the money allocated to something else.

 I am just curious, what do others do when they do not have dental insurance???

(Health insurance is always talked about but not dental.)

We never had dental insurance until this year. Previously, I would call the dentist, ask for the price of cleaning/exam/x-ray and then I would budget for that. Usually around $85 (without x-rays) or $120 (with x-rays).

Even with dental, we just pay the dentist every month.   Don't you get any dental with your MA?  I am going to look into that, our current dentist won't see us, there is a mobile bus dental office for MA and one of the plans, I am hoping to get the kids on the bus sometime soon.  

There are cheap dental cleanings, $15 I think, at the dental school, but they take longer.  

I have dental through my work (100% paid for by co.), but my husband and daughter do not.  We choose at this point for my daughter to not have coverage; it would cost me about $800/year to cover her through my company and I think that's outrageous when she has baby teeth and a cleaning cost $88 out of pocket.  So I pay out of pocket for her.  DH and DD both take very very good care of their teeth, so right now it cost us $375/year for them to have two cleanings each and 1 set of xrays for DH.  The insurance alone would cost 3-4xs that.

My cleanings are 100% paid for including xrays once a year.  I've had two root canals and my dentist filled them; he wants to crown them, but I looked at him and said, "I'm sorry Dr. E, but I'll stick the school of thought my mom has used.  You've been our dentist for 30+ years and the fillings you did to her root canals have lasted 20 of those years, which is 18 years longer than you said they would last, so please have more faith in your work."

My dad has peridontal (sp) disease and his teeth are healthy, but his gums are not.  They believe it's a side effect of the type 2 diabetes.  Even with very good dental insurance, my mom has been overwhelmed by the bills.  The office manager gave them information on a credit card program for dentists (and it covers some vets and other types of doctors) where they give you 0% interest for each charge for 6 months.  After that they charge interest.  Apparently it takes very little to qualify.  My mom got it and whenever my dad needs work they charge it to this card and they diligently make payments on it.

 We go twice yearly whether we have insurance or not.  It is a budgeted expense.  We refuse Xrays, unless we have an ouchy spot, or the dds insists, eventually.  They can't force you to get Xrays, they WILL still clean your teeth.  Interestingly, dh and I have had NO change on our Xrays for 7 years, and counting--we have each had one full set of Xrays and 2 partial sets in 8 years.  Exams/cleanings are not expensive, compared to what most willingly pay for cable, internet, cells, car payments, eating out, toys, and such. 

wow prices are higher for dental in the us it seems. here they are pretty standard. When I was in my 20's I didn't have dental care so did go except to get a wisdom tooth out. That was a couple of hundred I think. 

We have dental though dh work.  standard plan.  most of the basic stuff is covered. crowns etc are I think 60% covered so out of pocket would be $400 - $600.    I am bad for going to the dentist even with the plan. make it average once ever yr and a half. have to get better for the kids.  the dentists only schedule what is covered by the plans which are very standard.  not sure about the amount of xrays because I don't go enough!  so I get them each time.

need to book an appt for a filling replacement and specialist for dd xrays too.

some d""m helicopter keeps flying low and around here. very annoying woke me up.

For me the cost of cleaning and exam is $105. I'll pay as I leave (on credit/debit card). Last time I had x-rays done was when my parents bought a gift certificate for a dentist from an auction... $250 worth for $150. I had about $40 leftover when I was done with just the x-rays from that dentist (I went back to who I saw when I last lived here).  I never thought of the fact that you can say "no" to x-rays. My only worry now is I need a crown... (root canal was done almost 6 yrs ago).

Right now I don't have MA (in WI, you have to be/or have kids to qualify)... and my expen$ive state insurance (I pay quarterly), won't cover anything but dental emergencies in a hospital setting. This is another reason why I'm praying for me to be "disabled" so I can get insurance. 

Well thanks to this thread I have scheduled the appts. for my family next month.  DD and I will go on the 4th and her's will cost $100 (cleaning and exam, no xrays).  Mine will be covered by my company's dental insurance plan.  DH will go on the 26th and his will cost $217 (cleaning, exam, full xrays -- and he *really* needs them).  So while it'll make the budget tight I consider it $$ well spent.

I use the local dental school.  My cleaning was $20 with xrays.  It took 4 hours though.  I will probably need a filling this year so I'll have to go to the regular dentist for that.