How fees work
What a visit costs depends on your plan, your treatment and what your dentist finds at the exam. Here is how we handle each part, and what you can ask us to put in writing.
Insurance we work with
We bill PPO dental plans and file the claim for you. Whether we are in network depends on your plan, so the front desk tells you before your visit.
PPO and indemnity plans: we file the claim
DHMO plans: ask us, they work differently
Medicare and Medicare Advantage: ask us, dental coverage varies
Medicaid and CHIP: call us and we will answer plainly
If you pay yourself
Without insurance you pay the fee for your visit, and we give you the fee before treatment starts. 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 your visit to send to your plan. Your plan decides what it pays.
An estimate in advance
Once the dentist has examined the problem, 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 what it will cost.
Ask at scheduling or at your visit
In writing, before treatment starts
Checking your benefits
The front desk 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. In an urgent visit we check as soon as we can, and the exam comes first.
What the first visit includes
A first visit with us takes about an hour: an exam, X-rays when your dentist decides you need them, and a talk about what we found. An urgent visit starts with the problem that brought you in. Bring a photo ID, your insurance card and a list of your medicines.
Exam and X-rays your dentist decides on
A written plan with your options
Time for your questions
An estimate is our written account of what will be billed. Your plan's final payment can differ, and we explain any difference before you pay.
Questions about paying
How do I get a written estimate?
Ask at scheduling or at your visit. After your exam the dentist lists the treatment, the visits it takes and what it will cost.
What if my plan pays less than the estimate?
A plan's estimate is the plan's, not ours. If its final payment differs, we explain the difference before you pay and go over your options with you.
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. We will tell you what to expect before you book.