Dental schools
Howard, Meharry, and other HBCU dental schools train residents. $1,500–$2,500 per implant vs. $4,000–$6,000 retail. The work is supervised; takes longer.
Discount dental plans
Careington, Aetna Dental Access, and 1Dental.com. Not insurance, but they negotiate fees down 20–40%.
Payment plans
CareCredit or LendingClub for medical financing. Always read the deferred-interest fine print before signing.
Travel for it
Mexico (Tijuana, Cancún), Costa Rica, and Colombia all run dental tourism. $800–$1,500 per implant in a major Mexican border city. Plan flights + hotel into the total cost.