Dental Insurance

For your convenience, we do accept assignment for and file for many dental insurances. We charge you an estimated out of pocket. This estimated amount cannot be considered as a definite amount due until your insurance carrier actually pays the insurance claims. We must stress that this is a courtesy and that the relationship of insurance is between you and your insurance carrier and we are merely attempting to assist our patients with the cost of their dental treatment. If the dental insurance company does not pay all of the estimated portion within 60 days, the remaining balance becomes due and payable by you, the patient.

Please keep in mind that the information we keep on file for you is only the very basic information.  It is not intended to be an exact determination of benefits provided.

Every year your dental policy may change. You may receive notices of changes in your dental policy by mail. Please familiarize yourself with your dental policy and with any changes your insurance company brings to your attention.

If you have any questions, the human resources department at the employer your insurance is through should be able to help you or feel free to ask us and we will do our best to assist you!

FAQs about your Dental Insurance

Q. How do I know if you take my insurance? Will you file my dental insurance for me?

A. We accept assignment for most dental insurance companies as long as we’re not required to be a part of a network. We are not members of any PPO networks. As a service and a courtesy to all of our patients, we do file your dental insurance for you and accept assignment* of benefits. This does not mean that we adjust off a balance that the insurance does not pay. You are responsible for any balance that your insurance doesn’t cover. *accept assignment means we will accept what the insurance pays and have you pay only your out of pocket.

Q. How do I find out what my insurance covers?

A. Once you come in and the Doctor does an exam, we will give you an estimate of how much your treatment will cost and how much your insurance should pay and what you should owe.

Q. I have dental insurance, what do I have to pay?

A. Once we determine your insurance benefits, by calling your carrier, we will give you a treatment proposal stating what treatment the doctor feels is in your best interest. That treatment proposal will have our fee for that service and an estimate of what your insurance should pay and what you should owe. We emphasize that this is an estimate, because we don’t know all the details of your policy and many times the person we speak to on the phone could give us incorrect information. (on their recording it states that the information they give us is not a guarantee of payment) Therefore, we remind you that you are ultimately responsible for any amount of that estimate should your insurance company not pay.

Q. I have dental insurance, so why do I have to pay and my insurance reimburse me?

A. Some insurance companies require that you see a dentist who is a part of a preferred provider network (PPO). Our office does not participate in any network programs because these insurance companies dictate to the doctor what services and fees he is allowed to perform. We do not believe the insurance company belongs anywhere in your diagnosis. Wherever insurance companies are allowed to have the final say in your health care, it is you, the patient who will suffer. In this case, if you are a member of a PPO, if we can file for you, we will. We will do everything we can to assist you. In some cases, even though we are not on their network they will still allow you to see us and assign a lower benefit. It just depends on your policy. We will gladly call & help you to find out what type of policy you have.

Q. My insurance covers 2 free cleanings a year. Why do I still have to pay?

A. This is a very common question from our periodontal patients. The problem with this, begins with how it was stated. If you check in your policy, your insurance policy states that they cover 100% of usual and customary fees for preventive services. However, they do not consider all cleanings to be preventive. Cleanings for people who have any stage of gum disease usually fall under the Basic Services of your Dental Benefits. There is nothing we can do about this. That has to do with how your policy is written.