Office Policies & Warranty Info

At our office, it is our primary goal to offer the absolute best dental treatment in a comfortable setting. It is also important to us that you understand our office policies on billing, appointments, x-rays, and insurance. Please read through the information below. If you have any questions about these important office policies, please ask us. Thank you.

PAYMENT AND BILLING:

Payment is due at or before the time of service. Longer and/or more extensive appointments may require an advance deposit. Financing must be arranged and approved at least 24 hours prior to treatment. A $10 overdue balance charge will be added every month to overdue accounts. No fee is charged to accounts kept current. Any account that is 90 days overdue will be referred to an outside agency with collection fees added.

If you have dental insurance, as a courtesy we can help you maximize your dental PPO benefits by submitting your dental claim to your insurance. Insurance will likely not pay 100%, but they’ll give you something.  The estimated turnaround for insurance companies to reimburse you is 3-4 weeks.

CANCELLATIONS AND MISSED APPOINTMENTS:

When we make you an appointment, we reserve that time especially for you. Therefore, we require minimum one full business day’s notice if you must reschedule or cancel your appointment or you will be charged $75 per appointment hour. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are not business days at this office. So, for example, if you have an appointment on Wednesday that you must cancel or change, we must hear for you by the prior Monday. Please understand that this charge represents our actual cost for idle time, and is not meant as a punishment. In fairness to all of our patients, we cannot make any exceptions to this policy, regardless of reason. We will make every effort to remind you of your appointment(s) by texting, e-mailing and/or calling prior to your appointment, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to contact you. Please make a note of your appointment time on your calendar rather than relying on a reminder.

TREATMENT PLANS:

We will provide you with a written treatment plan list, including estimated costs. All charges for services provided are ultimately your responsibility, even if our original estimate differs from the final cost. We are happy to discuss your treatment plan/estimate and answer all of your questions before your treatment.

X-RAYS:

X-rays are one of the most important diagnostic tools in the dental office. At this office, we use digital x-ray equipment to minimize radiation. Our standard of care requires a complete series or panoramic x-ray for all adults. These films check for cavities and for pathology in the roots, sinuses, nerves, and jawbones. For children, the amount of pictures taken is dependent on age and eruption patterns. We are not able to provide any dental services for patients without x-rays meeting the standard of care. If you have recently had x-rays taken at a previous dental office, please assure that copies are sent to us prior to your visit. If we have not received recent x-rays by your appointment, we will take a new series for you at that visit. For our patients with dental insurance: please note that some insurance companies limit the frequency with which x-rays are covered. Therefore, if you are unable to obtain recent films (a complete set within the past five years) from your previous dentist(s), your new x-rays might not be covered by your insurance.

PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY:

As per the Health Insurance Portability and Privacy Act (HIPAA), our office keeps all of your information strictly confidential. We sometimes use mail, e-mail, text messages, and voice mail regarding your appointments, bills and/or treatment plans. We sometimes share your dental information with specialists that you have seen or will see in the future. You may opt out of any communication method(s) at any time. Please notify us if you have a concern about this policy or special requests.

Our practice is very proud of the dentistry we provide for you and your family. Our goal is not to simply correct any dental problems you have, but to help prevent dental disease in the future to save you time and expense. The long-term success of the treatment we provide depends on you! You should take care of your teeth and gums at home and visit our office for regular professional exams and preventative treatments. Your professionally diagnosed care and recommended treatment varies based on your individual condition. The primary key to your long-term success is spending a few minutes a day on your home care (brushing and flossing along with any prescribed products). The second key to success is regular professional examinations, cleanings, and x-rays (at 3, 4, or 6 month or other intervals depending on your condition). Help us to help you maintain your teeth for your life!

Because we’re confident of the durability of our treatments we offer the following limited dental warranties. Failure to have your prescribed in-office professional cleanings, exams, and x-rays will void any and all warranties.

TWO YEAR WARRANTY

Composite (tooth colored) fillings: If composite is our recommended re-treatment we will repair or replace a failed filling at no charge. If the tooth breaks or requires a crown or other treatment, we will credit the cost of the filling toward that treatment.

FIVE YEAR WARRANTY

Crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, and porcelain veneers: We will replace or repair these at no charge if they chip, break, or come off with normal use.

Please note: These warranties don’t include accidents that could also break the normal healthy tooth, or decay resulting from oral hygiene issues. If a night guard is part of your treatment plan, it must be made in our office, worn nightly, and be brought to each visit to maintain a valid warranty. This warranty does not include items not mentioned above such as root canals, over the counter products including night guards, nor does it cover damage to teeth or dental restorations caused by accident, trauma, neglect, or improper use (i.e. biting non-food items such as ice, fingernails, pencils, or similar.)