I wonder what insurance she has since she is unemployed... But anyway dental insurance in general is pricy and sucks as far as coverage goes. I have it, and if I have one root canal or crown it uses it up for the year. When I didn't have standard insurance offered through my employer, I used an independent Dental Discount Plan. That can give you free cleanings and up to 50% or more off procedures. In general, the premiums are less than $200 a year. I'd urge anyone without insurance in need of a dental procedure to get one of these and you'd save so much on the procedure it would offset the $200/yr cost (and more). You just have to make sure you pick the right plan and choose a participating dentist. Like I said, I used various plans like this for years when I didn't have dental insurance, and they saved me countless money for any procedures I had. They typically don't check for pre-existing conditions or anything. This isn't insurance, there are no claims to file, participating dentists just take the % off your bill at the end.
Compare a bunch here:
Affordable Dental Insurance Alternatives: Discount Dental Plans
An example:
The Signature Wellness Plan in California costs $145 a year. You pay nothing for routine checkups, and each filling costs $79. With that plan, she could have 15-20 cavities filled before hitting $1,500 owed.