We believe in the theories of modern dental care, which do not support the old premise of “When it hurts-fix it.” By utilizing proper preventive care and regular checkups, we believe it is highly likely that most of our patients can expect to keep all of their teeth for many years to come.
Our patients can expect:
1. A high degree of professional skill and ability.
2. A dedication to your oral healthcare.
3. A minimization of costly reconstructive work through proper preventative care.
4. The highest effort to make your visits as comfortable as possible.
5. The right treatment at the right time.
6. Modest, reasonable fees for state-of-the-art treatment.
7. 100% Financing with interest free option for qualifying patients
Initial Visit
Filling out forms is never fun! But taking the time to complete the health questionnaire and patient information sheet allows us to serve you better. Your initial examination will include an oral cancer exam, clinical charting of all existing dental restorations, periodontal charting, and necessary radiographs. Such x-rays allow us to discover developing tumors, cysts, painless abscesses and 35% of all decay otherwise not visible to the naked eye. Our new facility offers the latest in state-of-the art radiographic equipment. All of this is brought together to provide the most comprehensive dental diagnosis and treatment plan. Diagnosis and necessary treatment may be explained to you at this first or at a second visit, depending on complexity of the required treatment.
We feel that you should have dental examinations and care at regular intervals. Preventive care is the best treatment. If there should be any treatment necessary, early care is easier and usually less costly than if treatment is delayed.
Children should start their visits once they have all of their teeth –usually about two years of age. The first visits may be no more then “getting to know you” visits, but they will set the tone for a lifetime of dental health. Adults should have their regular examinations and cleanings on a schedule tailored to their needs, regardless of any artificial limitations imposed by insurance contracts. All soft tissue should be evaluated and x-rays should be taken when individual conditions require.
Denture patients should have the American Cancer Society soft tissue examination every year to diagnose any problems that may exist while they are in an early and treatable stage.
Appointments
To give the best and most efficient care, we must work within an appointment system. We plan very carefully to reserve the right amount of time for each patient so that any needed dental treatment can be accomplished without any unnecessary delay.
We try to keep on schedule through the entire day so you will have to wait the shortest amount of time once you arrive in the office. Of course, emergencies do occur that may cause some delay, but you can be assured that you will receive the same careful attention as always. You can also be assured that you will be given top priority if you are in an emergency situation, so please be understanding of any delays.
We do not “over-book” and your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you. If you find it necessary to change your appointment, please call us at least 24 hours in advance so that we can reschedule you at a convenient time.
Our time is in great demand and we will not keep anyone in the practice if they abuse that time. We do charge for broken appointments. In order to guarantee that we are available for those patients who respect our time, however, the following policy will be enforced.
If patient misses an appointment without giving adequate notice, they will be asked to place a deposit in order to schedule any future appointments. If they keep their appointment, this will be applied towards the fee of that day’s visit. If they do not keep the appointment, the deposit will be forfeited and another deposit must be made before that patient is to schedule another appointment.
Fees and Payments
We have tried to set our fees at a reasonable level based on community standards and the service provided. If you have any questions about our fees please feel free to discus them with us.
Patients are expected to pay for professional services at the time they receive them. Fees for the initial examination and any emergency visits are payable at that first appointment. This policy includes patients with dental insurance coverage.
For major services requiring several visits, we require a deposit of one half at the beginning of treatment and the balance by the time the work is completed. In some cases it may be possible to arrange prepayment discounts or extended payment plans.
Any adult who brings a child for dental services is responsible for payment, legal guardian or not. After examination and diagnosis, a complete description of the needed treatment and a written estimate will be provided to the patient.
Our administrative staff will be pleased to assist our patients in selecting, from our various payment options, the method a payment most suitable to their individual needs.
Insurance
Insurance is a contract between the insurance company and the patient – not the dentist. The patient is responsible for all charges for dental care. We do, however accept the assignment of benefits.
Please bring a completed insurance form and eligibility card if required with you for each visit so that we may send it in promptly for reimbursement from your insurance company. We want you to receive the maximum payment as soon as possible from your dental plan.
We enjoy working with families who are covered by dental insurance, we are totally committed to assisting our patients realize their maximum benefits. Our insurance departments will happily assist our patients in preparing the necessary forms for this important benefit.
The office can make no guarantee of any estimated coverage and patients need to realize that they will always be responsible for their total obligation should their insurance benefits result in less coverage than anticipated.
Emergencies
We know that emergencies happen- both from pain and injury- and we make every effort to see emergency patients as soon as possible. Please call before coming so we can be ready for you. If the office is closed, please leave a message on our answering machine. We will do our best to respond to your emergency needs promptly as possible. Calling early in the day is greatly appreciated allowing us to accommodate you more easily into our scheduled day.
To minimize our patient’s inconvenience, repairs and relines of dental prosthetic devises may often be performed as a one day service for an additional charge.
Children
We consider the psychological acceptance of dental treatment by the child as important as the physical aspect. Our highest priority is making the child’s visit and the treatment as pleasant as possible. If a child is uncooperative, he will be referred to a children’s specialist who may not be covered by your dental plan.
New Patients
We welcome new patients! We always make room for the friends of referrals of our good patients. We believe that a referral is the best indicator of how happy you feel at our office. As a thank you and token of our appreciation, you receive a free bleaching kit after three referrals.
Our Patients
Our patients are the nicest people that we know. We believe that they should be treated with the greatest care and respect and concern for their health, safety and comfort. The policies outlined in this website have been created so that our good patients are able to receive our utmost attention without distraction.
Referrals
We believe that a referral is the best indicator of how happy you feel at our office. As a thank you and token of our appreciation, you receive a free bleaching kit after three referrals.