Your First Visit
Your first visit to the doctor typically includes an x-ray that allows the doctor to view the structure of the jaw, the position of any teeth that have not yet erupted, malformed roots, and tooth decay.
The initial visit also involves getting your medical history. When you share your medical history with the doctor, be sure to provide complete, up-to-date information on your health. Inform your doctor if you have experienced recent hospitalization or surgery, or if you have recently been ill. Also tell the doctor the names, doses, and frequency of any medications you are taking – whether prescription or over-the-counter products – and the name of your physician. Inform the doctor of any changes in your health or medications. This information will help the doctor to select the safest and most effective method of treatment for you.
Consultation
After the doctor has evaluated your records, we discuss any follow-up treatment with you in detail, including the cost for your particular case.
Regular Appointments
Regular checkup appointments typically take 20 to 40 minutes. Patients are seen by appointment only. We make every effort to be on time for our patients and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately.
Payment & Office Policies
Cost
The cost of treatment varies from patient to patient depending on his or her needs. Of course, we will not begin treatment before you’ve had all your questions answered and had a chance to discuss fees and payment options. We accept assignment from most insurance plans, and as a courtesy to you we will file the necessary papers to the insurance company. We work hard to make dental care affordable and to make sure that you get the most from your insurance benefits.
Fees
In an effort to keep fees down while maintaining the highest level of professional care, we have established this financial policy:
- Full payment is made at the time of treatment. (If you have insurance, your estimated portion will be due at the time of treatment.)
- To fit your individual needs for extensive treatments, financial arrangements can be made to extend your payments over a period of months, by submitting an application to CareCredit.
- For your convenience, we accept payment by VISA and MasterCard, Discover, CareCredit, cash and personal check.
Insurance
The details vary from company to company and from policy to policy, but generally insurance covers 50-80% of care after a deductible has been met. We’ll pre-authorize major procedures and determine your portion ahead of time. Your portion will be due at the time of service.
Insurance makes life easier, but remember that insurance should not and does not dictate your treatment. Your insurance benefits are determined by a contract between your or your employer and the insurance carrier. While we will make every effort to ensure that your care coincides with your covered benefits, there may be circumstances where the best course of treatment will not be covered by your insurance or may exceed yearly plan limits. If that is the case, we will inform you in advance.
When we have received a payment from your insurance company, any amount that is still due will be billed to you and any payment that exceeds the cost of treatment will be refunded to you.