Our practice policies
We want your time here to be straightforward, so here is everything we ask of you in one place. Most of it comes down to one thing: let us know as early as you can if plans change.
We are a small, independent practice. When an appointment goes unused we cannot always fill it, and someone else who needed that time goes without. That is really all these policies are about.
Cancellation policy
Your appointment is confirmed the moment you book it. We reserve time with your dentist, assistant, and hygienist, hold a treatment room for you, and sterilize and lay out everything your visit needs ahead of time. We also schedule our team's shifts around the bookings we have.
- We ask for 2 business days noticeThat's 48 hours, counted Monday through Friday. So for a Monday appointment, we'd need to hear from you by the Thursday before. That window gives someone on our waitlist a real chance to take the spot.
- Reminders are a courtesy, not a guaranteeIf you've opted into email or text reminders, we'll send one before your visit. They're a helpful nudge, but keeping track of your appointment is ultimately yours to manage.
- Short notice or a no-show may mean a feeWith less than 2 business days notice, or if the appointment is missed entirely, we may charge a missed appointment fee. See below for how that works.
- A second no-show is a bigger conversationIf it happens twice, we'll ask you to find a practice that's a better fit for your schedule. We'd much rather help you find a time that works.
Life happens, and we know it. Illness, a family emergency, a car that won't start: call us and talk to us. We review these case by case, and we waive the fee far more often than we charge it.
And it works both ways. Once in a while we have to move an appointment ourselves, usually because a team member is sick. We're a small practice, so there isn't always someone to step in. When it happens we'll call you as early as we can and get you rebooked at the first suitable opening. We'd ask for the same understanding we try to give you.
How the missed appointment fee works
Our missed appointment fee is a flat $100, whatever the appointment was for. Insurance never covers these fees, so they're the patient's or guardian's responsibility.
Payment policy
Payment is due at the time of your visit. We take cash, debit, e-transfer, Visa, and Mastercard, and we're glad to email your receipt. If you have coverage, we'll submit the claim for you as a courtesy, and your co-payment is due the day of treatment. Anything your plan doesn't end up covering stays your responsibility.
Estimates before treatment
For anything beyond a routine exam or cleaning, ask us for a written estimate and we'll prepare one with the procedure codes and fees. We don't automatically pre-authorize every treatment with your insurer, so if you'd like that done ahead of time, just say the word and we'll send it in.
Your role with insurance
Your plan is a contract between you and your insurer, and they don't tell us when your coverage changes. Please confirm your eligibility before your visit and bring your plan details with you. Your annual maximum is tracked across every dental office you visit, not just ours. More on how insurance works here.
A few things worth knowing
- We treat you, not your plan
- What we recommend is based on what your mouth actually needs. Your coverage tells you what gets reimbursed, it doesn't decide your care.
- Our fees and your reimbursement
- Our fees reflect the time, materials, and expertise a procedure actually takes, and for some treatments they sit above what your plan will reimburse. We'll always tell you the cost up front so you can weigh it before you decide.
- Deductibles and lab limits
- Many plans have a deductible you pay first, and some cap what they'll contribute toward dental lab fees. Any remaining balance is the patient's responsibility.
- Bring your card each visit
- Plans change more often than people expect. Having your current details on hand means we can bill correctly the first time.
Acknowledge our policies
If you'd like to get this out of the way before your visit, fill this in and we'll add it to your file. It saves a few minutes at the front desk. You're welcome to do it in person instead.
We only use these details to note the acknowledgement on your patient file. See our privacy policy for how we handle your information.
Something here not clear?
Give us a call and we'll talk it through. We'd rather answer a question now than surprise you later.