Practice Policies

We feel that an educated patient is the best patient to have. There are many different insurance companies with many different types of coverage. Many companies use the term “reasonable and customary”. This may depend on where you live in the country and how often the company updates their fees. Some companies may update them yearly, every five years or when somebody complains. It is important to understand your coverage:

• How much is your maximum/year?
  
• When does it start and end?
  
• How much do you have left?
  
• What is covered?

Many companies on average will allow $1000/year. Insurance companies do not tell you that you have to go to an endodontist in the plan. You can go out of network. They will not reimburse you as much. Many companies on average will allow $1000/year. Depending on the amount of work you are having done, you may be over your maximum allowance. So, it may not matter if you are in network or not. A crown or filling can be changed if it does not fit right. A root canal is the foundation of your tooth. It is harder to correct, more time consuming, more costly if not done right the first time. An increasing part of our practice is fixing a root canal that was not done correctly.

If not done correctly, a patient can spend more money on medication, time lost from work going back and forth to an office. Many patients may go to a clinic and are told that a doctor that does root canal will be doing the root canal. If you do not think they are a root canal specialist, Ask!

Many patients may think they are saving a few dollars when comparing office prices. You may get a quote for a root canal and it may be “cheaper”. But when you get to that office you may be billed “a la cart” that day for procedures that day along with the root canal, such as x-rays, pulp testing, emergency exam, 3-D image, etc. Now you are spending much more. Each procedure will be added on to your insurance and bill. So, ask what is included.

What do you get for our fee? Surgery and retreating root canals are typically slightly more expensive, the doctor will need to evaluate the tooth. If you come to the office for root canal treatment, if we need to take any x-rays the day of the root canal, we consider that part of the root canal treatment. There can be many complex issues that could cause a root canal to fail; in our office the percentage is less than 2%. In many offices, you may be charged again. We don’t! If you have a root canal in our office, have registered and followed our post-operative instructions, many times we will remedy the situation at no extra cost, even if it is years later. We want to earn your confidence in our office.

Anesthesia cases have a separate fee set by the licensed anesthesiologist. That may be covered by your medical insurance.

If you have any questions, email us! Root canals, sports trauma and facial pain diagnosing are the foundations to your dental work.