First Dental Visit

Your first visit to the dentist will include a thorough examination of your teeth and gums, an oral cancer screening, an examination of your bite and jaw joints (TMJ - temporomandibular joint), X-rays, and photos.

The initial visit also involves obtaining your medical history. When you share your medical history with the dentist, be sure to provide complete, up-to-date information about your health. Inform your dentist if you have experienced any recent hospitalization, surgery, or illness. Also tell the dentist the names, doses, and frequency of any medications you are taking - whether prescription or over-the-counter products - and the name of your physician. This information will help the dentist to select the safest and most effective method of treatment for you. This initial visit will typically take one and a half hours.

Consultation

After the dentist has evaluated your records, he will discuss any possible treatment with you in detail either at the initial visit or at a subsequent appointment, depending on the extent and nature of the treatment required.

Regular Appointments

Patients are seen by appointment only. We make every effort to be on time for our patients and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us at least 48 hours in advance.

Payment & Office Policies

Cost

The cost of treatment depends on the complexity of the patient's problems. You will be able to discuss fees and payment options before treatment begins. We offer payment plans and third-party financing to suit different budgets. We also accept assignment from most insurance plans, and we will file the necessary papers to the insurance company. We are very dedicated to making dental care affordable and to maximizing your insurance benefits.

Fees

In an effort to keep fees down while maintaining the highest level of professional care, we have established this financial policy:

• If full payment is made prior to the onset of treatment, we will offer a 5% courtesy since no further book-keeping fee is needed.
• To fit your individual needs for extensive treatments, financial arrangements can be made to extend your payments over a period of time.
• For your convenience, we accept payment by VISA, Mastercard, AMEX, and Discover.
• Treatment can also be financed with a third-party finance company such as CareCredit, Capital One, or CitiHealth, most of the time interest free.

Insurance

If you have insurance, we will help you determine the coverage you have available. Professional care is provided to you, our patient, and not to an insurance company. Thus, the insurance company is responsible to the patient, and patients are responsible to the dentist. We will help in every way we can in filing your claim and handling insurance questions from our office on your behalf.

Regular Checkups

Regular dental checkups are essential to maintaining good oral health. We encourage regular checkups at least every six months. Seeing the dentist regularly is recommended because your dentist can check for problems that you might not see or feel; find early signs of decay or periodontal problems; and treat oral health problems early, while they are still manageable. Regular checkups include a thorough prophylaxis (cleaning and polishing) and an oral exam by both the hygienist and the dentist. During the oral exam, they will check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue. At each visit, the dentist also checks old fillings and restorations because constant pressure from chewing, grinding, or clenching can cause them to wear away, chip, or crack.

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