Our Philosophy on Dental Insurance

We continue to be in-network with Delta Dental and Aetna. For patients with other insurance plans, please contact your insurance provider regarding out-of-network coverage and benefits.

Our office views dental insurance differently than most people view traditional insurance. When most people think of insurance, they think of a major loss. If your house burns down, homeowner’s insurance pays to rebuild the house, and the policyholder is generally protected from bearing the full financial burden of that loss.

Dental insurance does not typically function in that manner. In our experience, dental insurance operates more like a discount plan or a gift certificate with rules attached. Benefits are often subject to annual maximums, frequency limitations, exclusions, waiting periods, downgraded procedures, and other restrictions. Even when an insurance company indicates that a service is covered, benefit estimates are generally accompanied by disclaimers stating that payment is not guaranteed and that final determination will be made when the claim is processed.

For that reason, we encourage our patients to view dental insurance as a product that they, their employer, or another party has purchased from the insurance company. Because the patient is the beneficiary of that product, we believe the responsibility for understanding coverage, limitations, exclusions, deductibles, annual maximums, and benefit eligibility rests with the patient and the insurance carrier.

Our office does not purchase the policy, design the benefits, determine coverage, or make payment decisions. As a courtesy to our patients, we submit claims directly to insurance carriers. After a claim is submitted, questions regarding coverage, payment amounts, denials, benefit limitations, or claim determinations should be directed to the insurance company.

Regardless of insurance coverage or benefit determinations, patients remain financially responsible for all treatment provided by our office.

Missed Appointment Policy

We reserve appointment times exclusively for each patient. If an appointment is missed or canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice, a $60 missed appointment fee may be charged. This fee is not covered by dental insurance and is the responsibility of the patient.

Patients arriving more than 15 minutes late may be required to reschedule their appointment if there is insufficient time to complete the scheduled treatment. If the appointment cannot be accommodated due to the late arrival, the missed appointment fee may apply.

Repeated missed appointments, late cancellations, or late arrivals may result in limitations on future scheduling.

Delinquent Accounts

Accounts not paid within a reasonable period may be subject to collection activity. In the event collection efforts become necessary, the patient agrees to be responsible for reasonable collection costs, attorney fees, court costs, and other expenses permitted by applicable law.