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 we put in writing.
Insurance we work with
We work with dental plans by type. Whether we are in network with yours depends on the plan, and we tell you before you book. Call us with your plan's name and we'll check.
PPO and indemnity plans: we file the claim for you
DHMO plans: ask us, they work differently
Medicare and Medicare Advantage: ask us, dental coverage varies
Medi-Cal and CHIP: ask us and we'll answer plainly
If you pay yourself
Paying without insurance, you pay the fee for your visit, and your dentist gives you the fee for any treatment before it starts. Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender.
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.
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 usually takes and what it will cost.
Ask when you schedule or at your exam
In writing, before treatment starts
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 figures are 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, photos or scans, and a talk about what we found. Bring your insurance card if you have one, a photo ID and a list of your medicines.
Exam, with X-rays your dentist decides on
Your options, explained
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 at scheduling 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 figures are 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'll tell you what to expect before you book.