We have three policies we feel are important to share with our patients. We strongly believe in our work and professional efforts, and we therefore ask you to read this thoroughly and agree to comply with these policies.

• Commitment to Treatment Policy...

  We believe all treatment begun should be completed. Incomplete treatment leads to problems, complications, misunderstandings and usually further disease. Therefore, if a plan is agreed upon and started, it needs to be completed.

• Commitment to Appointment Policy...

  An appointment in our schedule is a bond of trust that we will be here to serve you and will be present for treatment. Our office policy is firm in this regard and we will not tolerate frequent cancellations or constant short notice changes. We must have mutual respect for each other's time.

• Commitment to Financial Arrangement Policy...

  We believe we have the responsibilty to use the best professional care, skill and judgement in planning and delivering your dental treatment. Your payment will reimburse us for our services.

  
  

  Financial Policies

  PAYMENT IS DUE AT THE TIME
  OF SERVICE FOR ALL VISITS

• We accept, cash, checks and credit cards.

• For treatment involving fees over $300, payment arrangements must be made in advance. Extended payment plans can be arranged by our office with an outside financing company.

• If we are accepting assignment of benefits from your employer's dental assistance program, the estimated amount not to be paid by the insurance company will be due at each visit. If payment has not been recieved from the insurance company within 60 days, the balance automatically reverts to you and is due within 30 days.

1. My insurance says I can have two free cleanings a year, how does that work?
   Your insurance plan is a contract between your employer and the insurance company. There are as many differences in policies as there are employers. Most insurance plans allow two cleaning a year. Some plans may allow that patient to have cleanings done twice a year at any time during the year. Other plans specify that there must be at least six months in between cleanings. Please consult your insurance company (there should be an 800 number on the back of your card) or contact your company's human resources officer. Please also remember, any dollars paid on your cleanings go against your yearly maximum!

2. What does my insurance cover?
   AS we stated above, all insurance policies are different. No insurance company covers all dental expenses. The insurance company is much more willing to discuss the intricacies of your policy with you instead of our office. We will give you a cost of the procedures to be preformed and tell you approximately what your portion will be. We will be happy to send a predetermination of benefits in to your insurance company for any treatment we recommend. This is the only way to know exactly what your cost will be.

3. Our family would really like to continue coming to this office, but your name isn't on our list, so do we have to change offices?
   Unfortunately, we hear this comment more often than we would like. Please do not let insurance companies dictate your health! Most of our patients are involved in PPO plans. These plans give the patient the option of going to a dentist in or out of their network. Sometimes if a patient chooses to go out of network, the patient may be financially responsible for more than if they went to an in network dentist. Before making the decision to change dental offices, please explore the differences in cost, it may be so small that the decision is an easy one. Many of our patients have chosen to stay with our office, even though we are not on any network plans. Some have utilized their company's cafeteria plans or flexible spending accounts. These options allow the employee to put aside pre-tax dollars to use on medical issues through out the year. This money can be used for co pays, the patient's portion on procedures, cosmetic dentistry, etc. This is a wonderful way to earmark the money and stay with an office you have enjoyed for years.

4. What do I do if I have to cancel an appointment?
   An appointment in our schedule is a bond of trust that we will be here to serve you and you will be present for treatment. When an appointment is made for a periodic check up or for more extensive work, the appointment is reserved for you alone! No one else is scheduled during that time. If the appointment is broken on short notice or not kept, the liability to our office is enormous. Also, another patient is kept from getting the treatment time she wants. Should it be necessary to cancel or change an appointment, it is requested that the patient give our office a minimum of 48 hours notice.