How fees work
What a visit costs depends on your plan, your treatment and your dentist's exam. Here is how we handle each part, and what you can ask us to put in writing.
Insurance we work with
We file claims for dental PPO plans. Being in network depends on the plan, so we check yours and tell you before you book.
PPO and indemnity plans: we file the claim for you
DHMO plans: call us first, as they work differently
Medicare and Medicare Advantage: dental coverage varies
Medicaid and CHIP: ask the front desk, and we'll tell you plainly
If you pay yourself
If you have no dental plan, you pay the fee for each visit, and we write down what treatment will cost before it begins. Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender.
Receipts for reimbursement
If you pay us and your plan reimburses you, we give you an itemized statement of the visit to send in. Your plan decides what it pays.
An estimate in advance
We give a written estimate in advance to anyone paying without insurance, and to anyone who asks. It lists the treatment, the visits it takes and the fee.
Ask when you book or at your visit
In writing, before any treatment
Checking your benefits
Before your first visit our patient coordinator checks your plan's benefits and tells you what the plan says it covers. A plan's estimate is the plan's, so we show you both.
What the first visit includes
A first visit takes about an hour for an adult and is usually shorter for a child, who can have a parent beside them. Bring your insurance card if you have one, a photo ID and a list of the medicines you take.
An exam, and X-rays when your dentist decides on them
A written plan with your options
Time for your questions
An estimate is what we expect to bill. If your plan pays a different amount, we explain the difference before you pay.
Questions about paying
How do I get a written estimate?
Ask when you book or at your visit. After your exam your dentist lists the treatment, the visits it takes and the fee, and our patient coordinator goes through your benefits with you.
What if my plan pays a different amount?
A plan's estimate is the plan's, not ours. If its payment differs, we explain the difference before you pay and go over your options.
Do you offer financing?
Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender. Ask the front desk for the lender's own terms before you decide.
Ask for a written estimate
Tell us what you need and how you plan to pay, and we'll tell you what to expect before you book.