Our Office Policies
Our office policies statement is designed with you, the patient, in mind. It is written to answer any questions you may have regarding how our office treats scheduled appointments, late arrivals, cancellations, dental emergencies, weekend emergencies, payments, and dental insurance.
Appoinment
We are dedicated to staying on schedule and seeing all of our patients on time for their appointments. We do ask that our patients be on time for scheduled appointments, planning extra time for travel or filling out forms. We recommend arriving 5 - 10 minutes prior to ease the check-in process.
Please be aware that dental emergencies do arise throughout the day which may delay or extend your appointment. We are committed to treating all of our patients with utmost care.
Cancellations
We reserve time especially for you. If you need to change your appointment, we ask for a minimum notice of 24 hours. According to our offce policies, please be advised that you will be charged for your third missed appointment a fee of $50.00 per half-hour of your missed appointment.
Consecutive missed appointments can result in being dismissed as a patient.
Weekend & After Hours
We will do all we can to help you derive the maximum benefit from your insurance carrier. Your dental insurance plan is a contract between you or your employer and the insurance company. The insurance company is responsible to the patient and the patient is responsible to the doctor for payment. Insurance companies base their payments on what you or your employer has contracted for, and this payment typically is only a percentage of a table of fees for a given zip code area. This is why your insurance benefit sometimes is not the same as our fees. Please be aware that most insurance companies only provide coverage for a portion of needed dental services and some procedures may be excluded from coverage altogether.
Many insurance companies prefer that extensive treatment plans be prior approved or "pre-authorized" so that exact benefits may be determined in advance of treatment. This may require us to fill out and submit a special form for you, which is usually the claim form provided by your insurance company. Time should be allowed for approval before scheduling appointments. We will be happy to assist you by helping you complete this form as needed.
Our dental office is dedicated to providing you with the treatment you need while your insurance carrier is only obligated to pay what your contract calls for. We urge you to be fully aware of the provisions of your policy before you begin treatment.
Please understand that we file dental insurance claims as a courtesy to our patients. We do not have a contract with your insurance company, only you do. We cannot be responsible for how your insurance company processes your claims or for what benefits they pay on a claim. We can only assist you in estimating your portion of the cost of treatment.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, please keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, insurance company address, or a change of employment. When a dental claim is unpaid due to a policy termination, the patient is responsible for the unpaid balance.
Late Arrivals
We expect our patients to arrive on time for their scheduled appointment. Please note that we will have to reschedule your appointment if you arrive more than 10 minutes late.
If you are habitually late, 3 or more times, your appointment will need to be rescheduled, and you will be charged a fee of $50.00 per half-hour of your missed appointment.
Emergencies
If you have an urgent problem, please call our office immediately so we may see you as soon as possible. If you have an emergency after hours, please call our office for information on how to contact the doctor on call.
Payments
This statement is designed to inform you of our financial policies. We make every effort to control the cost of dental treatment, and we believe our fees are affordable, reasonable, and fair. Payment for professional services is due at the time dental treatment is provided. We accept cash, debit cards, and credit cards.
Payment Methods:
Use of cash, check, debit card, VISA or MasterCard is offered for your convenience.
Overdue Balances:
For routine dental services, payment is expected in full at each visit. The patient is financially responsible for the payment of all charges for services rendered, regardless of insurance coverage. Any amount remaining unpaid after the due date will accrue interest at the rate of 18% per annum. Should the account be turned over to attorney/collection agency, the patient is liable for 33.3% attorney's fees and all court costs.
We realized that some patients may have unexpected or extensive treatment plans, making payment difficult at the time of treatment. Extended payment plans are available upon special request. All major treatments and any procedures involving a laboratory fee will require an appropriate down payment.
Some facts about Dental Insurances:
Fact 1 - No insurance pays 100% of all procedures
Dental insurance is meant to be an aid in receiving dental care. Many of us think that insurance pays 90%-100% of all dental fees. This is not true! Most plans only pay between 50%-80% of the average total fee. The percentage paid is determined by how much you or your employer has paid for coverage or the type of contract your employer has set up with the insurance company.
Fact 2 - Benefits are not determined by our office
Your dental benefits are based on the policy purchased by you or your employer. Insurance companies set their own schedules and each company uses a different set of fees they consider allowable. These allowable fees vary widely because each company collects fee information from claims it processes.
Fact 3 - Deductibles and Co-payments must be considered
When estimating dental benefits, deductibles, percentages, and co-payments must be taken into account. All these add to the total cost of dental treatment fees that must be paid by the patient.
