New Patient Exam

Our new patient examination is quite comprehensive. Expect the following services from our team at your first appointment:

• An inventory of your health concerns and requirements. Please let us now if you need special accommodations prior to the initial appointment

• An examination of your oral condition and gum health

• X-ray and x-ray review by the dentist

• A discussion of all treatment options

• Suggestions on how treatment can be done in phases and according to priorities

• A review of your insurance coverage and an estimate of the cost for treatment services

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Scheduling Policies

At Elmsdale Dental Clinic, we know our patients appreciate the little to no wait time. To ensure that we can adhere to the policy, we request patients do their part to be punctual. This will ensure that patients are seen immediately on arrival.

Our dental office notifies patients of pending appointment two weeks prior to their scheduled appointment date. Patients who schedule their appointments early usually can pick a date and time of their choosing. Our office reconfirms the appointment two days before the appointment date.

Our office does not double book appointments, which means that when an appointment is booked we are reserving time with our doctor, assistant and hygienist as well as operatory space to for each individual patient to allow us to deliver the quality, personal care every patient deserves.  For our office, a missed dental appointment prevents us from scheduling another patient that could benefit from the time and treatment. Patients should provide at least twenty four hours notice of cancellation for a confirmed appointment to avoid a missed appointment fee.

Treating emergency patients is an important part of our responsibility. Our staff does everything possible to quickly alleviate patient pain. Patients with an emergency can request an appointment at short notice by calling our office, and we will make every effort to accommodate the emergency within a reasonable time frame based on symptoms and immediate need.

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Consent Policy

No treatment is ever provided to a patient without their consent. Patients have the option to decline the recommended treatment plan.

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Financial Policies

Elmsdale Dental Clinic  ensures the highest quality care and service to our patients and as such have adopted a primary assignment policy for insurance companies, which means that our dental office files the patients primary insurance electronically and the insurance company pays our office directly the covered portion.  The patient is responsible for all cost not covered by the primary insurance at the time of service.

If the patient has dual insurance (two insurance policies) the clinic takes assignment on the primary only, we will also prepare the secondary insurance claim on behalf of the patient, which requires the insureds signature and we send on behalf of the patient, however the patient pays for the treatment provided upfront. The secondary insurance companies then pay directly to the patient.

Patients are always provided with their bill and encouraged to review and understand what treatments were carried out.

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Our office welcomes many types of dental insurance, and our insurance and payment coordinator will be happy to assist you in determining what type of benefits are available to you through your insurance plan. Payment arrangements for account balances are due at the time services are rendered, so please bring your insurance card with you to your first visit. We accept many forms of payment, including cash, debit and most major credit cards. You can also speak with our Financial Coordinator about flexible payment options available for major dental services including third party financing.If you have lingering questions concerning the financial aspect of your visit, our Office Manager and Financial Coordinator are on-hand during regular business hours to answer your questions and address your concerns.

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Know Your Dental Insurance Policy

We explain your insurance coverage at your initial visit or before we start any major treatments. However, it is not always possible for us to find all the information since insurance companies are not obligated to disclose any or all information to us (the care provider) under the privacy act. We recommend that patients verify their coverage directly with their insurance company.

Insured patients are encouraged to provide us the following vital information about their insurance policy. If in doubt, always ask the insurance company. Vital Insurance Information includes:

• Name of insurance carrier and phone number

• Policy number, Certificate (ID) number and Division number, if any

• The anniversary date of the policy, for example is it January 1st, rolling calendar, from date of initial employment etc.

• The annual maximum benefit per patient

• The annual fee guide covered by their insurance policy, example 2014, 2015, 2016 etc.

• Percentage of coverage allowed for diagnostic services, preventative services, restorative services, endodontic services, periodontal services and all other major treatments, such as crowns, bridges and dentures

• The per person and/or family annual deductible amount

• Number of scaling / cleaning units covered per year and the frequency etc.

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