First of all, why are you investigating full dentures? Some teeth are better than no teeth. Partial dentures are easier to wear than full dentures.
Why would you even think of going to scummy dental chains owned by hedge funds, instead of private practices owned by honest and competent dentists??? Do you believe every lying ad you see on TV? Look up these sleazy chains on PissedConsumer.com. Aspen has been sanctioned by FOUR state attorneys-general for its dishonesty.
I could write a book how government makes dental care more expensive. Lately, our state of Georgia has ordered us to have labs test our water once every quarter and report the results or face big fines. You think nonsense like this doesn’t increase overhead?
Today I just finished a set of full dentures on an elderly gentleman. My lab fees were $1250. I spend 6 patient appointments and a lot of time in my lab on the project. I average 2 to 3 adjustment appointments afterwards. You think I could charge a couple thousand for great dentures like I made? I must pay my receptionist and assistant good salaries, and I have got to make a living as well. There is no way to make such treatment “affordable.” I recently tried a 3D printed denture to try to save time, and the result was not very impressive. Health care is labor intensive, so it is expensive!
Patients think fabricating good partial and full dentures is a piece of cake. But I have been doing it for 47 years, and it is still one of the hardest tasks I do. Your chance of having a fresh young graduate doing it right at some sleazy corporate chain clinic is about as likely as Hailey’s Comet returning to earth ahead of schedule.
If the mods allow me to post it, there are useful articles on how to save money on dental care at www.KimHenryDental.Wordpress.com. I especially recommend the articles, “Two Patients Lose Money Trying to Save Money,” and “Corporate Dentistry- The New Oral Cancer.”