Last week I got a frantic letter from Lisa who is facing an emergency dental situation with a $15,000 price tag. She is desperate for options that will fix her teeth without plunging her into debt.

I received another letter from the Madison family. Similar to Lisa, they said that their finances are so tight that regular dental care is a luxury — they can't even afford routine X-rays and cleanings. They ended their letter asking, "Is there a dental plan for families in our situation? Please answer soon before our teeth fall out!"

While I am not a dentist, I know that dental care should not be a luxury. It is essential in order for every family member to be in good health. And the best way for the Madisons to avoid huge dental bills is to practice regular preventive care. But even then, routine hygiene checkups and X-rays should be seen as mandatory.

But Lisa is in a really tough situation. I'm not confident that dental insurance (if by some miracle should could get it now) would be that helpful. The problem is that certain procedures are typically not covered for the first six months to a year. And her condition could be excluded from coverage because it was preexisting. What's more, there could be a maximum annual benefit of $1,000 to $1,500. And the annual premium on most individual dental plans can cost up to half of the annual benefit. I'm not sure if any portion of her $15,000 dilemma would be considered cosmetic, but most dental insurance does not cover cosmetic procedures.

However, I am excited because I have good news for Lisa and the Madison family. It's something I hope all of my readers will consider seriously: a dental savings plan. These kinds of plans are not insurance and they don't work like insurance, but as such, they don't carry the downsides of most dental insurance plans.

Dental savings plans are membership plans similar to the way I am a member of Costco: I pay an annual fee that gives me access to the full privileges of the club for one year. I just show my card at the door and can buy all the things that I need at highly discounted prices. That's how a dental savings plan works. You sign up for a plan your dentist accepts, pay your membership fee, and get your card to have access to highly discounted dental services and procedures.

The cost of a dental savings plan varies, but an individual will pay around $120 per year, and families will pay around $170 per year.

Most insurance companies now offer these plans. There are many to choose from, and they are all listed on DentalPlans.com. If your dentist doesn't participate, you can ask him or her to consider participating, or you can find a dentist in your area that does (thousands do!). You'll get discounts up to 60 percent (depending on the plan and specific procedures) when you include a specific dentist on your plan.

Dental savings plans have no annual maximums, they don't exclude preexisting conditions, they don't have monthly premiums (membership fees are paid once a year like a Costco membership), and there are no waiting periods.

I know you have questions about this. All the answers are on the "Dental Plans" page of the Everyday Cheapskate website. You can look up your dentist, or find other dentists in your area, and see what plans they accept. From there, it's easy to determine which plan is best for you. If you have any additional questions, give DentalPlans a call.

And there's more good news: I've worked out a special deal for our EC family. By using the promo code DPL10 you will get 10 percent off a dental savings plan membership fee, plus two months free for any plan purchased through DentalPlans. I don't think this offer will last forever, so make sure you use the code to get the best deal you can right now.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.