Office Policies
Our pediatric dentists in Okemos, MI, want to set every child up for success. To ensure this happens, we encourage parents to review our office policies before appointments. This will help everyone be on the same page so we can focus on providing the best pediatric dental care during your child’s visit.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our pediatric dental office in Greater Lansing, MI, if you have any questions.
Appointment Scheduling
Whenever possible, we’ll schedule appointments at your convenience and when times are available. If your child has dental work, they will be scheduled in the morning when they are well rested and have less time to get anxious about the appointment.
Dental appointments are an excused absence. Missing school can be kept to a minimum when regular pediatric dental services are continued. Our office will be happy to provide your child with a school excuse.
Appointment Confirmations
For your convenience, we have appointment reminders through text or email. All of your child’s dental appointments MUST BE confirmed by you by responding to our text or email or via phone call to keep your appointment.
If you do not confirm your appointment prior to 72 hours of the appointment, the time reserved for your child will be released to another child in dental pain or emergency.
Parental Presence During Treatment
Our ask that you allow your child to accompany our staff through the dental experience. We are all highly experienced in helping children overcome anxiety.
Separation anxiety is not uncommon in children, so please try not to be concerned if your child exhibits some negative behavior. This is normal and will soon diminish, just like the first day of preschool or kindergarten.
Studies and experience have shown that most children over the age of three react more positively when permitted to experience the dental visit on their own and in an environment designed for them.
If you would like to remain with your child, we ask that you be a silent observer. That way, our dental team can establish rapport and create a positive experience for your child.
Confirmation Policy
As a courtesy to parents, we send appointment reminders via email and text messages one month and two weeks prior to your child’s appointment. Life happens to the best of us, so we require you to confirm your child’s dental appointment seven days prior to your scheduled appointment by just replying to our confirmation text or email or by calling our office at (517) 574-4688. If we do not hear from you one week prior, we will release your appointment to another child in dental pain or emergency, and we will reschedule the appointment to a date that is convenient for you and your child. Thank you for your understanding as we try to accommodate all emergencies.
Patient Arrival Policy
Please plan to allow extra time to navigate the construction, traffic, or weather when planning a visit to our office. In order to optimize your appointment time, we require all patients to arrive 10 minutes before your child’s appointment to complete the check-in process, finish paperwork, and maybe allow your child to use the restroom. If you arrive late by 10 minutes or more, your child’s appointment will be rescheduled to a later date.
Insurance
Our doctors are participating providers of Delta Dental.
However, we do not accept Delta Dental or Blue Cross Medicaid. To find a participating children’s Medicaid provider, please visit https://www.deltadentalmi.com/Healthy-Kids-Dental.
FACT #1
Dental insurance is a contract between you, your employer, and the insurance company. The less money your employer has paid to purchase the plan for you, the less your coverage.
FACT #2
Dental insurance is NOT meant to cover all fees. It is meant to be an aid to your investment in your child’s dental health care. Many routine dental services like X-rays or fluoride are not covered by dental insurance on a regular basis.
FACT #3
Many carriers claim that they reimburse the insured promptly “up to 80% or up to 100% of the total fees.” In actuality, we have found that most plans cover about 40-50% of average fees. Some plans pay more, some less. The less paid for the insurance by your employer, the less coverage you will receive.
FACT #4
UCR stands for Usual, Customary, or Reasonable Fees. This is a term used by your insurance carrier to describe the arbitrary amount they choose to pay for each procedure. It is not based on the average charge of practicing specialists in the area. It is merely the “allowable” amount they will reimburse so they can make a net 20-30% profit. Our fees are within range of other in the area.
FACT #5
Insurance companies will not release the exact amount they will pay for a procedure until the treatment is completed and the claim is submitted. They will only state the percentage of their fee schedule that they will cover.
Our pediatric dental practice will make every effort to ensure you receive maximum benefits. We will file your insurance at no charge. In order to provide this service, we will need your updated insurance information before each appointment.