Can I finance my dental treatment?
CareCredit, a special patient financing program, is available for those who wish to finance their dental treatment. Ask someone on our staff for details. An easy credit application is available and approval can be given within a few minutes. We are even able to offer a 90-days interest-free option. The benefits of financing through CareCredit include:
- There are no annual fees.
- There is no money upfront.
- You can start your dental care immediately.
- Low monthly payments.
- You can finance your entire treatment plan.
- Select from several options, including 90-days interest-free.
- You can also apply for CareCredit online at www.carecredit.com.
What are my payment options?
For your convenience, we offer several payment options. We accept cash, personal checks, money orders, certified checks, and debit cards, as well as Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. All payments made in full, at the time services are provided, will receive a 5% courtesy or a 10% Golden Buckeye Card senior discount. Monthly billing is only done for those patients who have made prior financial arrangements.
When are payments due?
All payments for services at our office are due at the time the actual services are provided. If you choose to have your insurance company pay its share of the cost directly to our office, you are only responsible for paying your estimated portion or co-payment at the time services are rendered. Any balance remaining after the final insurance payment is your responsibility, regardless of how small the balance is. It is a violation of the Ohio Dental Practice Act and the ADA Code of Ethics for a dentist to waive all or part of a deductible, co-payment or patient balance after an insurance company has paid its share of the covered service. If you choose to have your insurance company send payments to you, then you are responsible for the entire balance each time services are provided.
Is there a discount for payment in full at the time of service?
Yes. All payments made in full, at the time services are provided, will receive a 5% courtesy or 10% Golden Buckeye Card senior discount.
Will dental insurance pay for everything?
Your insurance is a contract between you, your employer, and the insurance company. We are not a party to that contract. We cannot be expected to know every condition and requirement for your particular insurance plan. Dental insurance is not meant to be a "pay-all"; it is only meant to help share the cost of your dental care, and, many routine dental services are not always covered.
What is the “usual and customary rate”?
Our fees are considered average, and fall into the same middle range as most other dental offices in central Ohio. Therefore, they are acceptable by most insurance companies and are covered up to the "allowable fee" determined by each company. This applies to companies using the term “UCR” (Usual and Customary Rates). Our fees and the insurance company's "allowable fees" are frequently different, however. And many insurance companies unfairly imply that “your doctor's fees are above the usual and customary fees" rather than more truthfully saying "your insurance benefits are low." The fact is that every insurance plan has a different UCR! It has nothing to do with what doctors charge, but only with what the plan will allow. The amount your plan pays, or allows, for your dental care is determined by how much you or your employer paid for the plan. If someone were willing to pay more for their dental plan, they would have a higher “allowable amount” and less to spend out-of-pocket. Therefore, the less you pay for your insurance, the less you'll receive in benefits.
Do you accept my insurance?
We accept all private insurance plans. That is, plans that do not require you to select a dental office from a list or require our office to accept reduced fees or limit what we can and can’t do. Simply, we will accept every insurance plan there is, but the question is whether the insurance plan will accept us! We make every effort to provide the same treatment options and the same quality of care to everyone regardless of their means, or whether or not they have insurance, or whether it is good insurance or not. It is only after we know you and your dental needs that we start to look at insurance coverages and costs. We can estimate your coverages and limits based on our database of past claims payments, but it will only be an estimate. If you would like to know your exact insurance benefits, we will gladly submit a “pre-determination of benefits” to your insurance plan. This will delay your dental care, but it will give you the exact out-of-pocket figures you may require.
Will you process my insurance claims?
Yes, we'd be happy to process your claims. However, as your dental health care providers, our relationship is with you, not your insurance company. We will gladly process your insurance claims as a courtesy, not an obligation; however, all charges remain your responsibility from the date services are provided. As always, please speak with our business staff if you ever have any questions about the management of your account or the handling of your insurance. We will do our best to maximize your insurance benefit and will gladly appeal any unfavorable decisions.