By Marie Gilmore
Going to the dentist without any dental coverage can be a scary proposition. This often leads to adults and children that wait until there is a dental emergency before finally going to the dentist. Without preventative care and an established relationship, dental visits can be painful for both the mouth and the wallet. But, one creative Apollo Beach Dentist has joined a program where becoming a member of his dental office has privileges and includes all annual exams.
“Statistically speaking, more than 60% of Americans don’t have dental insurance,” said Dr. Sean Gassett from his dental practice on Apollo Beach Blvd. “This means that a large majority of people delay dental procedures, which is not good for dental health or overall healthcare.”
“We see kids who are in chronic pain because a simple cavity was not caught in time, ” he described. The solution that Dr. Gassett helped develop with other dentists across the country is both simple and quite ingenious… and may prove to be a model for healthcare reform across the board. “We found that we could create a system where families could get earlier preventative and less expensive dental care.” The program is called QDP – Quality Dental Plan (QualityDenta lPlan.com), and for an annual fee of $249, an individual would receive two complimentary cleanings per year, complimentary annual dental exam including x-rays, teeth whitening (adults) and fluoride (children) and a built in savings on any other dental or orthodontic work.
“I’m really proud to be part of this cost-savings movement. This is a great system for dental care everywhere.”
Patients can sign up right at the office and staff will be happy to answer any questions.
Dr. Gassett was raised in Gainesville and earned his B.S., M.B.A. and D.M.D. from the University of Florida. He also remains active in the dental community as a member of the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, and the Hillsborough County Dental Association. He was recently featured on ABC News as a speaker on the importance of dental care and proper tooth brushing. ” The experience was a lot of fun,” described Dr. Gassett, “And, it was great to talk about an important subject which is kids dental care, because good habits start at an early age.”
Apollo Beach Dental is located at 433 Apollo Beach Blvd. Call 341-0102 or visit www.apollobeachdental.com for more information about the practice or the QDP program.
