Office Policies
Appointments
Because we are a surgical practice, it is not always possible to stay exactly on time. Still, we pride ourselves on staying on schedule and rarely will you have much, if any, waiting time. Most scheduling delays arise because of patients arriving late. Please remember to allow for unpredictable traffic and parking, and give yourself a few minutes to spare.
Payments
Payments are due at the time of service. If there is dental insurance pending and the patient chooses to have treatment done before the pre-estimate comes back, full payment is due at the visit and the patient will be reimbursed by the insurance company if the claim is approved. If a payment plan is needed, we provide interest free financing through Care Credit and Capital One. For your convenience, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
Insurance
The two insurance companies that we are contracted with are the Delta Dental and Diversified networks. We are required to subscribe to an insurance fee schedule if we are contracted with that particular company, however our treatment recommendations are based solely on what we feel will give you the best periodontal outcome. We try to provide the best possible care within the guidelines of your insurance company, but with your permission, may need to go beyond that to provide you with a beautiful, healthy smile.
There is a lot of confusion about dental insurance. There are two methods commonly used by dental insurance companies to limit your reimbursement. The first is the payment schedule, which limits the amount covered for any particular procedure. Most of these benefit tables are based on faulty and outdated information and cannot be justified. An insurance company may also limit payment because they claim the fee was greater than the "usual and customary" charge for that procedure. Again, it is impossible to ascertain how the insurance company arrived at their "usual and customary" figures, which can be less than half of those found in nationally published data. "Usual and customary" is an average term, and you can expect very unusual and extraordinary care at our office.
The second-and most restricting-limitation to benefits is the yearly maximum payment the dental insurance company will reimburse. Regardless of the procedure coverage, most dental insurance companies will cap payments between $1000 and $2000 a year. Thus, even if an insurance company approves a procedure for $2400, the most they will pay is that amount up to the maximum remaining on the plan, say $1000.
Another avenue for possible reimbursement is through your medical insurance. We have a person specially trained in medical coding and diagnosis. Medical insurance is applied for when complex surgical procedures are performed. Although insurance companies are stricter than ever about paying benefits, an occasional benefit is received through the medical insurance.
Cancellations
We understand that on occasion cancellations are necessary, particularly due to illness. Please remember, though, that each appointment time is reserved exclusively for that individual patient, and without adequate time to fill the broken appointment, the operatory is empty for that time. As we try very much to respect your time, please give us the courtesy of at least 72 hours, when possible, if your appointment needs to be rescheduled.