“Luxury Face Bones” — Upset Patient Says Dental Insurance Is a Scam After Visit

The idea of visiting the dentist's office drives a spike of fear and anxiety into the hearts of many. In fact, many people compare things they don't want to do or unpleasant experiences to visiting the dentist, which is why it's not uncommon to hear someone say something to the effect of, "I'd rather be getting a root canal."

However, the physical stress of going to the dentist and having your teeth cleaned or possibly undergoing a painful procedure isn't the only thing keeping people anxious.

Instead, it's the surprise at the checkout that has many people sweating the idea of heading in for their semiannual cleanings. That's because dental work is notoriously costly and often not covered in full by your insurance provider. This frequent worry is exactly what had one TikToker crying in a viral video, where she suggested that dental insurance is a scam after she was given a quote of more than $10,000 to take care of some of the issues she was facing.

Keep reading to learn more.

TikToker @mama_megzz was brought to tears by a recent dental visit, where she said she learned that she would need extensive work to fix several issues she had going on inside her mouth. She captioned the video with the words "Dental insurance is a scam. Excuse my ugly cry," and then proceeded to share how her dentist had quoted her thousands of dollars during a recent visit.

According to the OP, it had been around five years since her last visit, and she knew that she would need some work.

However, she was shocked to learn how little of the work would be covered by her insurance. When she asked the dental hygienist which dental insurance she would recommend so that she could get some help with the bill, she says she received the startling news that she was better off with none.

To make matters worth, the OP said that she couldn't get help with a payment plan for the work she desperately needed done. Apparently, she's not alone, and several people chimed in with similar stories.

"Yep, dental insurance hardly covers anything," one person wrote. Another shared their story, which included a quote for $6,000 in work, which they said they were able to get done for a total of $1,500 by flying to Mexico to have it done there instead.

A person on Reddit shared their own dental insurance nightmare, confessing that a recent tooth issue had them rushing to the emergency dentist before their employee sponsored plan began. They wrote that they got a quote, and then came back a few days later once the policy kicked in, only to discover that the procedure was more money once the insurance was applied.

According to a Redditor who claimed to be a former dental insurance coordinator, it has to do with how dental insurance companies code the procedures, and which insurance rates they use. The dentist is then forced to use that rate, even if they would've charged less if you were paying out of pocket.

That sounds like a recipe for confusion, especially for people who are already scared and in pain, which is likely why so many feel like they are being scammed by their dental insurance.