Final answer:
The alternative to meager insurance reimbursements in dental offices is a fee-for-service model.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that describes the alternative to practices debilitated by meager insurance reimbursements, where dental offices charge a certain amount for a fee, cleaning, and other services is Option 1: Fee-for-service.
In a fee-for-service health financing system, medical care providers are paid according to the cost of services they provide. This means that dental offices can charge a specific amount for each service they offer, bypassing the limitations imposed by insurance reimbursements.
For example, if the insurance reimbursement for a dental cleaning is lower than the cost of providing the service, the dental office can charge the patient the full cost of the cleaning under a fee-for-service model.