Here at DCPD, we aim to care for your children as we would for our own.  This includes helping you and your family understand your dental coverage so that we can meet your child’s dental needs.

We have noticed that there are many misconceptions about dental insurance, so here are three things we always like to make our patients aware of regarding their coverage:

1. Unfortunately, no insurance pays 100% of all dental procedures.

Dental insurance is generally meant to be an aid in receiving dental care, and the majority of plans only pay between 50%-80% of the average total fee. Some pay more, some pay less. The percentage paid is usually determined by how much you or your employer has paid for coverage or the type of contract your employer has set up with the insurance company.

2. Your dental insurance benefits and resulting fees are not determined by our office.

We wish they were! Insurance companies set their own schedules, each company uses a different set of fees, and these fees may vary widely. This means that your neighbor may be charged a different rate for her child’s filling than yours, simply because his or her insurance company/plan is different. Please understand that our staff has no control over the fees your insurance plan charges for our services. It is entirely dependent upon your insurance company, your insurance plan and most times – your employer.

3. Effective January 1, 2018, our office will be considered out of network for some (but not all) insurance companies.

If your insurance company is one of these, you will need to pay us directly for the services rendered at the time of the appointment. As a courtesy to our patients, we will submit the claim electronically to your insurance company for reimbursement directly to you. Please remember, even if you have dental insurance, you are responsible for payment of your account and understanding your policy, coverage and reimbursement plan. Questions? Contact us HERE.

A scheduled appointment time is reserved specifically for your child.  Any change in this appointment time (tardiness, late cancellations, etc) can affect other patients as well as our team.  If a cancellation is unavoidable, please call the office at least 24 hours in advance so that we may adjust accordingly and try to accommodate another patient. Other things to know:

• All restorative procedures (fillings, extractions, etc) are scheduled in the morning.  Children, as well as adults, are more prepared and do better in the morning for these types of procedures.

• We strive to see all patients on time for their scheduled appointment.  There are times when our schedule is delayed in order to accommodate an injured child or an emergency.  Please accept our apology in advance should this occur during your appointment.  We will do the exact same if your child is in need of emergency treatment – we promise!

• Please plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment.  This will allow time for parking and to complete any additional paperwork so we may see your child on time.  

• If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, you may be asked to reschedule for the next available appointment time. Late arrivals push back all other appointments for the day and really affect our team. Thank you for understanding!

• Late cancellations or missed appointments affect many people.  If two (2) missed appointments or two (2) cancellations occur without 24-hour notice, our office reserves the right to NOT schedule any subsequent appointments and/or charge a $40.00 missed appointment fee. Thank you for understanding.

• A parent or legal guardian (with official documentation) must be present during all appointments for children.