New Patients

You can play a large part in preparing your child for his/her first visit to the dentist.  Try to act relaxed and at ease.  Your child will probably sense any anxiety on your part.  Tell your child that we will ‘count’ and ‘take pictures’ of his/her teeth.  Do not use any fear provoking words such as ‘hurt’, ‘drill’, ‘pull’, or ‘needle.’  Avoid statements like ‘the doctor will not hurt you.’  (If I say ‘Don’t think of a banana!’ what is the first thing you think of?  A banana!  It’s the same with the word ‘hurt.’)

We will thoroughly explain each of our procedures to your child in terms that he/she can understand before we do it.  We want and encourage parents to be with their child at the new patient appointment.  At this visit, we will emphasize oral hygiene techniques to be practiced by both you and your child.  We will answer any questions you may have.  A full examination of the teeth and supporting structures will be done and occlusion (bite) will be evaluated.  Radiographs (x-rays) will be taken as necessary (not routinely) to assure a thorough and comprehensive examination.  Subsequent appointments for restorations may be scheduled as needed.  When treatment has been completed, your child will be placed on a periodic exam schedule and you will receive a reminder card when the next visit is due.  

Our emphasis is on prevention, both in the office and at home.  We recommend regular periodic exams and cleanings as well as positive and thorough home care.  Home care includes understanding what can or has caused cavities for your child and what can be done to eliminate the causes.  Brushing two times a day, and flossing at least once a day, preferably before bedtime, and sometimes a topical application of fluoride are typical actions taken to help.  Because the primary teeth form the basis of the adult dentition, we will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of your child’s dentition while fostering a healthy and relaxed attitude toward dental care.  We offer a full range of dental services for children, adolescents, and teenagers including restorative, preventative dental care, and interceptive orthodontics.

At the conclusion of your child’s exam, the dentist will meet with you to explain what he has found and what treatment he recommends. Before you leave the office, our financial coordinator will discuss fees and options for payment.

In order to make payment for services as convenient as possible for you while at the same time maintaining operation of our office in the highest standard of comprehensive care, we offer three payment options.  We will attempt to give you an accurate estimate of your total fees at the onset of your treatment and will update them as needed.

Payment – Total payment of the fee at each visit.  Since immediate payment reduces our bookkeeping expenses, a 5% reduction of the fee will be given, if the total payment for all charges is paid in cash on the date of service.

Credit Cards – The fee may be paid with a Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express.

Dental Insurance – Current insurance information must be provided by the patient at the first appointment. Whenever necessary, a pre-treatment estimate form will be submitted to your insurance carrier prior to treatment to obtain an estimate of your insurance benefits. The amount not covered by your insurance is payable at the time of service. As a courtesy, we will submit your insurance claim for you. You are ultimately responsible for the entire bill. We will attempt to collect the insurance portion for 60 days following the procedure. After 60 days, the balance will be entirely yours and expected in full.