Q: What happens at the initial visit?
A: At your initial visit, you will receive a comprehensive exam including bitewings (for caries detection), pano ( to check for abcessess, impacted teeth,cysts and tumors), periodontal evaluation (gum disease), oral cancer screening( physical exam and sapphire laser oral cancer detection system), health and dental history review, bite evaluation. A cleaning or debridement and fluoride will be completed if time allows and if periodontal disease is not present. If periodontal disease is present, you may need a longer appointment due to type of treatment needed. You will receive a comprehensive treatment plan and cost estimate prior to beginning any restorative treatment. Your treatment plan will be customized to you and your needs. Sometimes multiple options will be available and will be discussed with you to formulate the best possible treatment plan according to your desires and needs.
Q: How can I pay for these services?
A: We understand that health and dental services are expensive for most people. Fear of costs is the second most popular reason people try to avoid dental care. We try to ease this problem by accepting visa, mastercard, debit cards, cash, check and if needed, financing to work with you and your monthly budget.
Q: What type of financing is available?
A: We use a couple of companies for your dental financing, carecredit and springstone finance which allows you the opportunity for 12 months of 0% financing, or for larger treatment plans, you can obtain up to 60 months of low interest financing. All financial questions are completed by the patient with the finance company in a private room to ensure confidentiallity or can be completed online.
Q: I have fear of dentists, what do you do to help with the fear?
A: We cater to those who fear the dentist. Let's face it, most people dont like to go to the dentist. They have had bad experiences, pain, fear of costs,insurance reimburesment is getting worse, it's such an intimate/personal space, fear that you will be made fun of for neglecting your teeth/mouth, That is why we offer a friendly homelike environment to help you relax. We offer nitrous oxide sedation, televisions in the operatory, and if needed, we can prescribe anti-anxiety medications, or for the extremely fearful patients, we also offer treatment under general anesthesia at a surgery center or in a hospital setting.
Q: I cant take a lot of time off work to come to the dentist , how can you help?
A: once you have had a comprehensive treatment plan, consultation, and financing if needed, we can schedule your appointment for a time that is convenient for you. In some cases you will need multiple appointments, and in other instances, we can schedule a longer appointment and perform most if not all of your treatment in one appointment thereby eliminating the need for multiple visits. We will work with you and your schedule in order to minimize time away form work or your family
Q: How young do you see patients:
A: We like to have an evaluation as early as 1 year of age. Your child will most likely need to be held on your lap for the examination. We will check for development, proper eruption, and make sure your child doesnt have any problems. We will then discuss proper nutrition and oral hygiene with you, the parent, to prevent future potentially painful and expensive problems (like baby bottle decay).
Q: Do you Take Payments?
A: We offer 0% interest up to 18 months through our credit services and low interest rates for longer payment options up to 60 months. We will tailor your payments based upon what you can fit into your monthly budget, thus making dentistry more affordable while staying within your budget
Q: How much will the work cost?
A: Everyone's treatment will differ depending on your needs and desires. After a thorough evaluation including exam, radiographs, oral health assement, oral cancer screening, TMJ evaluation, and a thorough evaluation of your gums, along with your specific treatment needs and desires, we will tailor a treatment plan just for you. We will then go over the treatment plan and all associated costs with you prior to your treatment. Should you have questions or comments, these can and will be addressed prior to beginning your treatment.
Q: How long will the treatment take?
Treatment times depend on your specific treatment needs. Most people prefer to have as few appointments as possible thereby decreasing the amount of school or work missed. We will schedule your treatment however you choose to minimize missing school or work or however it can be fit into your budget.
Q:How long does the treatment last?
Although there are numerous forces at work in your mouth and we are unable to predict the future, we will offer the following guidelines: Restorations should last at least a minimum of a couple of years and crowns at minimum 5 years. However, please Refer to "our warranty" page
Getting to Know your Insurance
Why doesnt my insurance cover all the costs for my dental treatment?
Dental insurance isnt really insurance (a payment to cover the cost of a loss) at all. It is actually a money benefit typically provided by an employer to help their employees pay for routine dental treatment. The employer usually buys a plan based on the amount of the benefit and how much the premium costs per month. Most benefit plans are only designed to cover a portion of the total cost, kind of like a coupon!!!
But my plan says that my exams and certain other procedures are covered 100%
That 100% is usually what the insurance carrier allows as payment toward the procedure, not what your dentist or any other dentist in your area may actually charge. For example, say your dentist charges $80 for an examination (not including xrays) Your carrier may allow $60 as the 100% payment for that examination, leaving $20 for you to pay.
If my plan does not really cover any procedures at 100%, why does it say it will?
Benefit plan booklets are often difficult to understand. If any part of your plan is not clear to you or if you think something is wrong concerning what your plan covers, you should contact your Employee Benefits Coordinator or the Human Resources department where you work.
How does my insurance carrier come up with its allowed payments?
Many carriers refer to their allowed payments as UCR, which stands for usual, customary, and reasonable. However, usual,customary and reasonable does not really mean exactly what is seems to mean. UCR is actually a listing of payments for all covered procedures negotiated by your employer and the insurance company. This listing is related to the cost of the premiums and where you are located in your city and state. Your employer has likely selected an allowed payment or UCR payment that corresponds to the premium cost they desire. UCR payments could be more accurately called negotiated payments.
Since the payments are negotiated, does this mean that there is always a balance left for me to pay?
Typically there is always a portion that is not covered by your benefit plan, so in short-YES
If I always have a balance to pay, what good is my insurance?
Even a benefit plan that does not cover a large portion of the cost of needed dentistry pays something. Any amount covered reduces what you have to pay out of pocket. IT HELPS!! It's more like a coupon than medical insurance.
I received an Explanation of Benefits from my insurance carrier that says my dental bill exceeded the usual and customar. Does this mean that my dentist is charging more than he/she should?
Remember that what insurance carriers call usual and customary is really just what your employer and the insurance company have negotiated as the amount that will be paid toward your treatment. It is usually less and frequesntly much less than what any dentist in your area might actually charge for a dental procedure. It does not mean that your dentist is charging too much
Why is there an annual maximum on my benefits?
Maximums limit what a carrier has to cover each year. Amazingly, despite the fact that costs have steadily increased, annual insurance maximum levels for dental care have not changed since the 1960's!
Why do some benefit plans require me to select a dentist from a list?
Usually the dentists on the list have agreed to a contract with the benefit plan. These contracts have restrictions and requirements. If your dentist is not on the list, this does not mean that something is wrong with the dentist or the office, nor in many instances does it mean that you cannot see a dentist out of your list, you might have a slightly higher deductible or out of pocket payment.
What Should I do if my insurance doesnt pay for treatment I think should be covered?
Because your insurance coverage is between you, your employer, and the insurance carrier, your dentist does not have the power to make your plan pay. If your insurance doesn't pay, you are responsible for the total cost of treatment. Sometimes a plan may pay if patients send in claims for themselves. The Employee Benefits Corrdinator at your place of business also may be able to help. Consumers (patients) may also lodge complaints with the State Insurance Commision at: http://www.iid.state.ia.us/complaints/index.asp
