Some of my dental care problem victims really do have some interesting stories. Check this one out, it’ll make ya think twice before ordering that extra large popcorn at the movie theatre!

I was settling into my seat at the movies. I hugged a tub of popcorn with my left arm, clutched a box of milk duds in my right hand. A coke was in its holder. The house lights dimmed, the projector whirred to life and previews of upcoming attractions filled the screen. All was right with the world.

I scooped up and ate a handful of popcorn. I bit down on a hard, unpopped kernel. There was a mysterious crunching sound, and it wasn’t popcorn. I ignored it, and was absorbed by the grotesque images in ‘The Grudge II.’ I popped a milk dud into my mouth. As I chewed, I felt part of a broken tooth pull away. I told myself that it was a small chip of a tooth, nothing to worry about. But when I sipped my soda, and the left side of my face experienced excruciating pain, I knew my situation was dire.

I watched the movie, even though the real horror story was in my mouth. I even tried to brave work as if nothing had happened. But every time I tried to eat or drink something, my tooth hurt so badly I couldn’t concentrate.

I needed to visit a dentist. But I had no dental insurance (my employer, a small business owner, couldn’t afford to provide it) and dental bills are expensive.

I thought I might shop online to find either a dentist or an insurance plan I could afford. I discovered that dental insurance costs, when not subsidized by

employers, are prohibitively priced. I remembered hearing about discount dental plans.

I typed ‘dental plans’ into Google and DentalPlans.com was listed. I read about one of their plans, and how it could save me significant amounts of money on dental costs. The website was user-friendly. It listed participating dentists, their addresses, and their contact information. The DentalPlans.com site can help you search for a dentist near your house. It also provides a list of prices for different dental procedures, the cost and the discounted price with a DentalPlans.com membership. I paid my membership fee, then printed my card on my PC’s printer. The next day I called a dentist office not a mile from my house to

confirm they participated in the plan. They did, and I made the first of what would be several appointments.

I needed two root canals, seven cavities filled, x-rays and a cleaning. The bill would have been $5,000 but my DentalPlans.com membership reduced the bill by half.

DentalPlans.com was easy, convenient and a real lifesaver. They made what could have been a script for a horror movie into an adventure with a happy ending.