Private Consultation Room

We know millions of Americans rely on their insurance plans to cover their dental treatment costs. Each insurance company and each plan structure differ greatly. Due to the complexity of deciphering these plans, we have provided our patients with a few facts:

• We are happy to submit claims for your dental procedures after each appointment. However, you are responsible for your portion at the time of service.
• It is not uncommon for insurance companies to tell their clients that certain dental fees are "above the usual and customary" instead of telling them that their insurance benefits are too low. Unfortunately, some insurance companies do not upgrade their fee schedules, even with the cost-of-living index.
• The amount of benefit covered by your company can vary 40% to 100%. Plans also have "clauses," such as pre-existing conditions, to deny treatment of care that you and your dentist have agreed is necessary. They may also discourage or deny routine preventive care procedures, such as fluoride or sealants. These services can prevent dental disease and save you money in the future. Just because the insurance company doesn't cover a procedure, it doesn't mean a recommended procedure isn't necessary!
• Plans may also have a "Least Expensive Alternative Treatment" (LEAT) clause. This means that you may be having a white filling, but the insurance company will pay for the lower-cost, silver filling. Therefore, you have a higher patient portion due.
• Maximum benefits per year are approximately $1,000; this has remained unchanged in the last 40 years. If only this amount of dental work is completed, it can leave potentially painful and costly untreated problems. We encourage all of our patients to proceed with necessary treatment and offer financing options to help pay for treatment. We look at this as a "discount" or $1,000 coupon and hope you will too!

We encourage each of our patients to read through and understand their plans benefits and limitations. We are happy to discuss our fees and policies with you, for we believe that our patients should be educated not only about their treatment needs, but how they will be covered, as well. We also will verify benefits (not a guarantee of payment) and submit large treatments plans for "pre-approval" (higher probability for payment) at your request.