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 the child 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 48 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment time if you are unable to keep your appointment. No charge will be made for rescheduling your appointment provided 48 hours notice is given to us so that your child's time can be given to another patient who needs our care.  We realize that unexpected things can happen, but we ask for your assistance in this regard.

Every effort will be made to be on time for your child's appointment. However, children are frequently subject to accidents. In order to accommodate an injured child, our schedule may be delayed. Please accept our apologies ahead of time should such a delay occur during your child's appointment. Please understand we will do exactly the same if your child is ever in need of emergency care.
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We ask that you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We are all highly experienced in helping children overcome anxiety.  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.  Studies and experience have shown that most children over the age of 3 react more positively when permitted to experience the dental visit on their own and in an environment designed for children.
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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.
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If we have received all of your insurance information on the day of the appointment, we will be happy to file your claim for you. You must be familiar with your insurance benefits, as we will collect from you the estimated amount insurance is not expected to pay. By law your insurance company is required to pay each claim within 30 days of receipt. We file all insurance electronically so your insurance company will receive each claim within days of the treatment. You are responsible for any balance on your account after 30 days, whether insurance has paid or not. If you have not paid your balance within 60 days a re-billing fee of 1.5% will be added to your account each month until paid. We will be glad to send a refund to you if your insurance pays us.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND that we file dental insurance as a courtesy to our patients. We do not have a contract with your insurance company, only you do. We are not responsible for how your insurance company handles its claims or for what benefits they pay on a claim. We can only assist you in estimating your portion of the cost of treatment, we at no time guarantee what your insurance will or will not do with each claim. We also can not be responsible for any errors in filing your insurance, once again we file claims as a courtesy to you.

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DENTAL INSURANCE

In an effort to help you understand your insurance policy and maximize your insurance benefits, we would like to share some facts about dental insurance with you.

FACT #I - Dental insurance is a contract between you, your employer and the insurance company. We are not a party to that contract.

FACT #2 - Dental insurance is NOT meant to cover all fees. It is meant to be an aid to your investment in your child’s dental healthcare. Many routine dental services are not covered by dental insurance.

FACT #3 - Many carriers claim that they reimburse the insured promptly "up to 80% or up to 100% of the total fees." In actuality, we have found that most plans cover about 40%-50% of average fees. Some plans pay more, some less. The less paid for the insurance by your employer, the less coverage you will receive.

FACT #4 - Usual, Customary or Reasonable Fees, UCR, a term used by your insurance carrier, is an arbitrary amount which the insurance company chooses to pay for each procedure. It is not based on the average charge of practicing specialists in the area; it is merely the "allowable" amount they will reimburse so they can make a net 20%-30% profit. Our fees are within range of other pediatric dental offices in the area.

FACT #5 - Insurance companies will not release the exact amount they will pay for a procedure until the treatment is completed and the claim is submitted. They will only state the percentage of their fee schedule that they will cover.

We will make every effort to assure you receive maximum benefits. We will file your insurance at no charge. In order to provide this service, we will need your updated insurance information before each appointment.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions about our financial policy. We want you to be comfortable in dealing with these matters. If you have any questions regarding your insurance, we ask that you contact your company regarding the specifics and details of your plan.
 

MOST IMPORTANTLY, please keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, insurance company address, or a change of employment.

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