Your First Visit

Your First Visit

 



Greetings from Lori and Marisa!

It's our job to make sure your initial visit is informative and that all of your questions are answered.  We have worked here for over twenty years and take great pride in making you smile!  

Our goal is to have every patient leave the first visit with all the information needed to make a confident decision about orthodontic care. 

For your planning purposes, please expect the appointment to last about an hour. We take photos of your facial features and teeth.  We will also take a digital panoramic x-ray. These partial records are done as a courtesy to your family dentist and there is no cost to you. This information is used to develop a custom treatment plan for each patient. These records are also helpful in tracking the progress of treatment as the teeth move under orthodontic care.
What You Should Bring To Your Appointment

  • Patient Medical History Forms (See forms page)
  • Insurance Card or Information:  We will be happy to work with your insurance company  to ensure that you receive all orthodontic benefits you are entitled to.  Please bring the insurance card to your appointment.
In the majority of cases, when your initial appointment is complete, you will know the diagnosis in straightforward terms, treatment options, and costs associated with treatment.  Our goal is to simplify what can sometimes be confusing. You and your family dentist will receive detailed letter with our findings and recommendations.
Regular Appointments

The appointment when you get your appliances (braces, expanders, etc.) usually takes from 1 to 2 hours. You'll then see us at regular intervals 4 to 10 weeks apart for an adjustment, which takes 20 to 40 minutes. Patients are seen by appointment only. We make every effort to be on time for our patients, and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately. Cancel only if it is an emergency. It is difficult to reschedule you since most appointments are made 4 to 8 weeks in advance.

We offer a variety of office hours to accommodate busy schedules: 

  • Alternating Mondays 7:00 am to 4:00 pm or 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm,
  • Fridays 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Summer Friday hours are 7:30 am to 1:00 pm
Cost

The cost of treatment depends on the severity of the patient's problem. You will be able to discuss fees and payment options before treatment begins. We have payment plans to suit different budgets.  We also accept assignment from most insurance plans, and file the necessary papers to the insurance company. We work hard to make orthodontics affordable.  

Fees

In an effort to keep orthodontic fees down while maintaining the highest level of professional care, we have established this financial policy:

  • If full payment is made at the onset of treatment, we will offer a fee discount. (If you have insurance, we will offer a discount for payment of your portion of the fee that will not be covered by insurance.)
  • To fit your individual needs, financial arrangements can be made to extend your payments over a period of months.
  • For your convenience, we accept payment by Visa and Mastercard.
  • In cases of serious delinquency, treatment will be discontinued, although we will make every effort to accommodate patients with temporary difficulties.
Insurance

If you have insurance, we will help you to determine the coverage you have available. We ask that you assign your insurance benefit to us. The balance will be arranged for you to pay (see above). Professional care is provided to you, our patient, and not to an insurance company. Thus, the insurance company is responsible to the patient and the patient is responsible to the doctor. We will help in every way we can in filing your claim and handling insurance questions from our office on your behalf.