Appointment Policies
Our office has devoted considerable time in developing a system so that we may accommodate as many appointments as possible after school/work hours. For this reason, some procedures will require scheduling during work or school hours.
We want to see each patient at the time of their scheduled appointment. Many appointments are short, and even though the adjustments are completed quickly, they may be quite technical. We have adopted treatment methods that limit your inconvenience.
We will schedule longer appointments during school and work hours. These include new patient examinations, records appointments, applying and removing braces. In this way, we do not reserve an entire afternoon for one or two patients, but rather to accommodate many families with short appointments.
If an appointment cannot be kept at its scheduled time, we ask that you give us 24 hours notice in advance. It is the patient’s responsibility to contact our office immediately to set up a new appointment. Late arrivals can pose a problem. In fairness to other scheduled patients, please arrive on time. If you are more than 15 minutes late it may be necessary to reschedule the appointment or see you after regularly scheduled patients.
We try to be flexible in accommodating the many and varied appointment situations. We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
In the event of inclement weather, etc. please call the office. A message will be left with important information in the case that we are closed.
Treatment Cooperation Policy
The success of orthodontic therapy is in direct proportion to the patient’s cooperation. Successful treatment is dependent on the following:
Care for the appliances as instructed; broken or distorted appliances add to treatment time. Wear supplemental appliances as instructed (rubberbands, etc). Keep appointments as scheduled; broken appointments interrupt treatment progress. Report broken, distorted or lost appliances promptly. Avoid foods and eating habits that may break or distort the appliances. Brush thoroughly after each meal.
By actively taking part in your treatment, you’ll advance to your ultimate goal, a beautiful, healthy smile!
Broken Appliance Policy
Please call and let us know in advance of your appointment if there are any broken, damaged or lost appliances!! We need to set aside enough time to make the proper repairs. If we are not notified in advance of broken appliances, repairs may need to be scheduled at a later time even if a regular adjustment appointment is already scheduled.
Emergency Policy
Any injuries to the mouth or teeth need to be reported immediately to a dentist whether undergoing orthodontic care or not. Knocked out or broken teeth are best handled by a general dentist. If any orthodontic appliances become damaged, please notify our office. Emergency appointments causing severe discomfort will be handled appropriately on an individual basis. We will do our best to see emergencies immediately during regular business hours. Dr. Cindy, Dr. Sam or one of our clinical staff members will be available to take any emergency call after business hours. Please call our office and follow the instructions over the phone to have a staff member paged.
Dental Care Policy
It is extremely important to continue to visit the dentist during orthodontic treatment! We recommend a thorough examination and cleaning at least every 6 months.
Medical Care Policy
It is the responsibility of the patient to inform our office of any changes in regards to dental or medical conditions, and also if there is a change of doctors.
Insurance Policy
Orthodontic therapy coverage may be a part of dental insurance benefits provided through employers. Each company and policy differs, so please provide our office with current dental benefit information and any appropriate claim forms. It is your responsibility to inform us of any change to your dental coverage. Our office does not guarantee that your insurance company will pay. We will make every effort to verify your coverage at the beginning of treatment. However, predetermined benefits are not guaranteed. Our office will not enter into a dispute with your carrier, but we will be happy to provide any additional information to help you collect from your insurance company. Should your claim be denied, you are responsible for the amount remaining on your contract balance.
Billing Policy
Payments agreed upon by the patient and our office are organized in the form of auto-draft from your checking account or credit card. We do not send out monthly billing statements. Communication is the most important factor in achieving current status on accounts, and cooperation in this respect is greatly appreciated.