Do you need expensive dental work, such as tooth replacement or braces? Does your insurance not cover the work? While dental insurance is effective at covering basic checkups and routine cleanings, you may be surprised to learn that it sometimes doesn't cover complex treatment. That can be especially true for orthodontic or cosmetic work. If you need that kind of dental work, you could be left with a big out-of-pocket expense. Fortunately, you have other options available. Here are three alternative ways to pay for dental work if your insurance won't cover the costs:

Get treatment at a dental school. One option to cut costs is to get the work done at a dental or orthodontic school. They need patients for their students to perform procedures on. To encourage patients to visit the school for treatment, the school will usually offer procedures at steep discounts. Of course, you'll be getting treatment from someone with little or no experience. However, they will likely be supervised by an instructor to make sure they don't make any mistakes.

Call some dental schools in your area to see what procedures they may need patients for. You may find that you could save big money by letting a student perform your dental work.

Set up a payment plan. Most dentists and orthodontists understand the limitations of dental insurance and are familiar with the challenge of paying for expensive treatment. That's why many of them offer payment plans. You'll likely need to make a substantial payment upfront and then make regular periodic payments. If your treatment is ongoing and requires regular visits, such as for braces, then you may have to make a payment every time you come into the office.

The advantage of going through your dentist is that you may be able to negotiate the payment amount, the down payment, and the duration of the payment schedule. Also, your dentist may not do a credit check, which could be helpful if your credit needs some improvement.

Get a dental loan. There are lenders who specifically offer dental loans for patients. These loans are often installment loans, much like you would get to buy a car. You may need to pass a credit check to get the loan. However, some lenders may offer loans without credit checks at higher interest rates. One advantage of going through a lender is that you may be able to get a longer payment schedule on the loan than you would through your dentist. That can keep your payments down and make them more manageable.

For more information, contact a lender who offers loans for dental procedures. They can help you find the financing option that's right for you.