How are appointments scheduled?
Do I stay with my child during the visit?
What about finances?
Our Office Policy Regarding Dental Insurance
Our Cancellation and No Show Policy
How are appointments scheduled?
The office attempts to schedule appointments at your convenience and when time is available. Preschool children should be seen in the morning because they are fresher and we can work more slowly with them for their comfort. School children with a lot of work to be done should be seen in the morning for the same reason. Dental appointments are an excused absence. Missing school can be kept to a minimum when regular dental care is continued.
Since appointed times are reserved exclusively for each patient we ask that you please notify our office 24 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment time if you are unable to keep your appointment. Another patient, who needs our care, could be scheduled if we have sufficient time to notify them. We realize that unexpected things can happen, but we ask for your assistance in this regard.
Do I stay with my child during the visit?
We invite you to stay with your child during the initial examination. During future appointments, we suggest you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We can usually establish a closer rapport with your child when you are not present. Our purpose is to gain your child's confidence and overcome apprehension. However, if you choose, you are more than welcome to accompany your child to the treatment room. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room with a supervising adult.
What about finances?
Payment for professional services is due at the time dental treatment is provided. Every effort will be made to provide a treatment plan which fits your timetable and budget, and gives your child the best possible care. We accept cash, personal checks, debit cards and most major credit cards.
Our Office Policy Regarding Dental Insurance
It is your responsibility to provide the front office staff with new or current dental insurance information. If your insurance has changed since your last visit, please call, or email the office to provide them with updated information. Failure to do so in a timely manner may result in you paying for the services out of pocket. It is your responsibility to know your benefits, frequencies, and limitations. If there are any services you do not want your child to receive, please notify the front office prior to your child’s appointment. Fluoride treatments and x-rays are recommended and will be performed at each routine visit unless otherwise requested. If your child is scheduled for routine or preventative care at our office, we will send that claim to your insurance company. *If your insurance company does not cover all the services your child receives or if they deny the claim for any reason and no payment is issued, you are responsible for that balance 30 days after the appointment. If the balance has not been paid within 60 days, a repeat billing charge will be applied to your account each month until a payment has been made or the balance has been paid in full. If you have an unpaid balance, you will receive a statement in the mail monthly until the balance is paid. You can pay your balance via mail, phone call, or here on our website. If you choose to pay online, there is a small convenience fee.*
If your child is scheduled for treatment with our office, we will send a predetermination to your insurance company. Most insurance companies will review the predetermination and return an estimate of what they will pay and what the patient will owe for the proposed services. This process may take up to 2-4 weeks. Once our office receives the estimate of what you will owe, we will call you with your patient portion. Your insurance company should also send you a copy of the predetermination as well for you to review. If you have not received an estimate from our office or from your dental insurance company or if you have any additional questions or concerns, please call the office. *The patient portion will be due in full on the date of service. If you are unable to pay the amount in full, you can set up a payment plan with the front office."*
Our Cancellation and No Show Policy
We understand that schedule conflicts, unexpected emergencies, and illnesses occur, and our goal is not to penalize any of our patients for that. However, we do ask for 24-hour notice if you need to cancel an appointment as a courtesy to our staff and other patients. We have a cancellation list, and those families count on having sufficient notice from us of our availability so that their children can receive the care that they need. *Therefore, if an appointment is missed and no notice has been provided to us, there will be a $50 charge. Similarly, if you cancel your appointment on the same day that you are scheduled, there will also be a $50 charge.*