New Patients
First Visit
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), your child should visit the dentist by his or her 1st birthday. You can make the first visit to the dentist positive and enjoyable. Please do not tell your child that the dentist will not hurt as this may never have entered your childs mind. Instead, you can assure them that the doctor will be friendly and gentle. Expect your child to react well and enjoy the first visit and chances are he or she will do exactly that.
You may accompany your child to the treatment area at the initial exam. We ask however, that you remain a silent partner so we can have your child’s full attention.
Dr. Baldy will perform a head and neck examination. She will evaluate the health of the teeth, gums and jawbone. Dental x-rays are taken only if she feels that it is necessary. Then, Dr. Baldy discusses the findings with you and addresses your questions and concerns.
If your child needs further treatment, our front office will assist you to schedule the next visit and will answer any financial or insurance questions you may have.
Cost
At Mobile Premier Pediatric Dentistry, we believe that financial obstacles should never stand in the way of quality dental treatment. Our staff will thoroughly discuss fees and payment options prior to beginning treatment. In addition, our staff will file all your insurance claims for you. Be sure to bring your insurance card with you to the first visit. We provide our patients with a varietyof payment options for your convenience; we accept payment by cash, check, MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover.
If you provide us with all your insurance information prior to the appointment, we can help you estimate the portion of the fees that your insurance may not cover. Please understand that filing your insurance is a courtesy our office provides to our patients. We will be happy to file claims with your insurance company on your behalf, however, you are responsible for fees not paid or not covered by your insurance company. Statements are sent every 30 days to keep you informed of your insurance payment status.
It is important that you keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, insurance company address, or a change of employment. When a dental claim is unpaid due to policy termination, the member is responsible for the unpaid balance
Insurance Facts
No Insurance Pays 100% Of Dental Care
Dental insurance is meant to be an aid in receiving dental care. Many patients believe that their insurance pays 90%-100% of all dental fees. In reality, most plans only pay between 50%-80% of the insurance company’s predetermined fee schedule. Some pay more, some pay less.
Both the fee schedule and 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.
Benefits Are Not Determined By The Dentist
You may have noticed that your dental insurer generally reimburses you or the dentist at a lower rate than the dentist’s actual fee. Frequently, insurance companies state that the reimbursement was reduced because your dentist’s fee has exceeded the usual, customary, or reasonable fee (“UCR”) used by the company.
A statement such as this gives the impression that any fee greater than the amount paid by the insurance company is unreasonable or well above what most dentists in the area charge for a certain service. This can be very misleading and simply is not accurate.
We Work With All Insurance Plans
We will work with all insurance plans. There is no direct relationship between our office and your insurance company. Your insurance benefits are determined by the type of plan chosen by you and/or your employer. As such, we have no say in the selection of your insurance company, no control over the terms, the method of reimbursement or the determination of your insurance benefits.
Therefore we do not accept assignment of benefits from your insurance company. As professionals treating your children, we want 100% control over the treatment, procedures, x-rays, etc. We will recommend only what we feel is necessary, not what your insurance policy dictates for your child. Your understanding and cooperation with this is greatly appreciated. You are helping keep our expenses, in the form of direct and labor costs, down. In addition, you are helping keep your fees as low as possible.
