How fees work
What a visit costs depends on your plan, your treatment and your dentist's exam. Here is how each part works, and what you can ask us to put in writing.
Insurance we work with
We bill PPO and indemnity dental plans and file the claim for you. Whether we are in network depends on your plan, and we tell you before you book.
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 tell you that fee before treatment starts. Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender.
A receipt for your plan
If you pay us and your plan pays you back, we give you an itemized statement of your visit to send to the plan. The plan decides what it pays.
An estimate in advance
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 when you book or at your visit
In writing, before treatment starts
Checking your benefits
Before your first visit our front desk looks up 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.
What the first visit includes
A new-patient visit takes about an hour: an exam, X-rays if your dentist decides you need them, and a talk about what was found. Bring your insurance card, a photo ID and a list of your medicines.
An 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 when you book or at your visit. After your exam the dentist lists the treatment, the visits it takes and what it will cost, and our front desk goes through your benefits with you.
What if my plan pays less than the estimate?
A plan's estimate is the plan's, not ours. If its final payment is different, we explain why before you pay and go through 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, and we will tell you what to expect before you book.