How fees work
What a visit costs depends on your plan, your treatment and your dentist's exam. Here is how we handle each part, and what you can ask us to put in writing.
If you pay yourself
Without insurance you pay the fee for your treatment, and we give you that fee in writing before it starts. If paying all at once is hard, ask about our sliding-fee steps. Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender.
Ask the front desk for the sliding-fee form
Share your household size and income
We tell you your fee level in writing
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 at scheduling or at your visit
In writing, before treatment starts
Insurance we work with
We bill dental plans we are in network with and file the claim for you. Whether we are in network depends on your plan, so 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 by plan
Medicaid and CHIP: call us and we'll tell you our current status
Receipts for reimbursement
If you pay us and your plan reimburses you, we give you an itemized statement of your visit to send to your plan. Your plan decides what it pays.
Checking your benefits
Before your first visit our front desk checks 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 when your dentist decides you need them, and a talk about what we found. Bring your insurance card if you have one, a photo ID and any dentures you wear now, even a broken one.
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 the sliding-fee steps work?
Ask the front desk for the form, tell us your household size and income, and we give you your fee level in writing before treatment starts.
What if my plan pays less than the estimate?
A plan's estimate is the plan's, not ours. If its final payment differs, we explain the difference before you pay and go over 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. We will tell you what to expect before you book.