by Hope
I bit the bullet this past weekend and purchased dental insurance for Gymnast, Princess, and I. We haven’t had dental insurance in FOREVER. Back in Virginia, we had regular dental care through the dental schools. It was great and cheap and great!
Since the move to Georgia, we had dental coverage for the 9 months, I returned to the corporate world and everyone had their teeth cleaned, cavities filled, etc. But since then, nothing. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it and Princess has regularly reminded me. But taking the time to find a dental school just hasn’t been a priority.
At one point I did call the local dentist we used and their out-of-pocket costs were just way too high to me.
But I finally bit the bullet and purchased a 6 months policy for the littles and me and plan to make appointments as soon as we get back to Georgia. We all need cleaning and I’m praying we don’t have any cavities. But we will deal with those if we do.
And Princess needs a new retainer. She got her braces taken off 6 months after we moved to Georgia. I’m hoping the dentist can help with that; otherwise, I may call her orthodontist in Virginia and see if they cover it at all. We shall see.
Bundled with Health Insurance
I am happy with the cost of this policy. It will be just around $300 for the 6 months for the 3 us and covers preventative care at 100%. I bundled it with our health insurance to save an extra $4 per month I think. That means I’m paying right at $210 for the 3 of us per month. That’s a number I’m comfortable with.
Our policy has a really high deductible ($12,500 I believe) but since we rarely and by that I mean really never go to the doctor, it’s good for emergencies.
I considered adding vision but since Princess got new glasses a year ago and I recently had my eyes checked with no change to my prescription, I decided I could save that add-on for another year.
Losing My Hearing
Another motivation for this insurance purchase is that there is a very good chance, based on the last couple of months that I am losing my hearing. It’s not significant yet, but it’s definitely to the point where I am getting concerned.
This policy, for whatever reason, also provides coverage for hearing tests and discounts on hearing aids. My guess is those are in my immediate future…or my kids are just going to have to speak a lot louder all the time. (They already get onto me for how loud my “normal” voice has become.)
As my parents have always said…”Growing old isn’t for sissies!”
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
