New Patient Portal

Patient Comfort

We put technology to work for you in different ways. Technology has improved our ability to fight tooth decay and gum disease. Technology has helped to improve the comfort of our patients. When we research new technology, we evaluate it solely based on the end benefit to our patients.

We utilize the following in our practice:

  • Kodak Logicon Digital Radiography: this system provides x-rays but also acts as a computer-assisted diagnostic tool because it can see spots on teeth (potential cavities or cracks, for example) that the human eye could never see! These digital x-rays also mean significantly less patient exposure to radiation.
  • Intraoral Camera
  • Chairside Computers
  • Caesy Patient Education System
  • Nitrous
  • Patient Comfort Measures
  • Sterilization Center

 

Healthy Hygiene, Healthy Heart

Believe it or not, how you take care of your teeth and gums affects not only your oral health, but it impacts your cardiovascular health, too. Although scientists are not certain of the precise relationship between the heart and oral hygiene, studies consistently demonstrate a link.

It’s possible that a mouth filled with bacteria and their toxins allows a continuous stream of poisons to enter the system. If the bacteria reach your arteries, they may cause the same kind of irritation they caused in your gums and mouth. Arterial wall irritations typically result in a buildup of protective plaque, which in turn can harden, thus blocking blood flow. Without sufficient blood flow, your heart can easily have a myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack. Furthermore, loosened arterial plaque can travel through the bloodstream, reach your brain, and cause a stroke.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express
CareCredit Card – Apply online at www.carecredit.com or call 800-365-8295
Employer Flex Spending Cars – Most cards with V/MC emblem are acceptable.
Payment is due at time of the appointment.
Extended payments are available upon special request (Easy Pay)
Easy Pay, major procedures and treatments involving a laboratory will require an appropriate down payment.
Senior Citizens will receive a 5% discount.

Your dental health is our primary concern and we want to extend to you the highest quality of care, not to an insurance company.  The insurance company is responsible to help cover cost for the patient and the patient is responsible to cover cost to the doctor.  Dental Insurance is playing a larger role in helping people obtain dental treatment.  Since we strongly feel our patients deserve the best possible dental care we can provide, we would like to share some facts about dental insurance with you.

  • You may receive a letter from your insurance company stating that dental fees are higher than Usual and Customary (UCR).  An insurance company surveys a geographic area, finds the average fee, then takes 90% off that fee and considers it “customary”.  Included in the fee survey are discounted dental offices which can bring down the average.  A doctor or group of doctors in a private practice may have fees that are considered higher than average.
  • Dental insurance is not meant to be Pay-For-All, it is only meant to be a financial aid. Deductibles and estimates of co-payments due when services are rendered is standard practice.
  • Many plans tell their insured they will be covered “up to 80%” or “up to 100%”, or our personal favorite “2 free cleanings a year”, but do not clearly specify the plan’s fee schedule allowances, annual maximums or limitations.  We have found that most insurance plans say they cover 100% of preventative care, 80% of basic (fillings, extractions, gum therapy) and 50% of major care ( crowns, partials, dentures and root canal therapy) based on the dental insurance plans pre-established maximum fee allowance which varies from carrier to carrier and employer to employer.
  • It has been the experience of many dentist that some insurance companies tell their insured that “fees are above usual and customary rates” rather than saying “our benefits are low”.  The amount your plan pays is determined by how much was paid for the plan by your employers.  The less paid in premiums for the insurance coverage the less you will receive in benefits.  Remember, you get back only the premiums paid into the plan less approximately 30% in insurance company administration costs.
  • Many routine dental services are NOT covered by insurance companies.  Each year we see more limits placed on the frequency of services, age limits, and waiting periods before coverage begins, pre-existing clauses, and allowing lesser benefits for desired procedures calling them “cosmetic and unnecessary”
  • Most insurance companies take between four and six weeks to issue payment to the dental practice.  If you receive a statement that shows your balance is higher than expected, do not be alarmed.  Please allow time for the insurance company to make payment.  If the insurance company denies payment to the dental provider or pays less than the estimated amount, then the remaining balance due is ultimately your responsibility.

Dental insurance is getting more and more confusing every day, we will do our best to guide you in obtaining your insurance maximum benefits.  Our office will file your insurance claims as a no cost courtesy to you.  If you have questions regarding insurance payments that your insurance company has or has not paid on your behalf, please call our office.