Our Office Policy Regarding Dental Insurance

If we have received all of your insurance information on the day of the appointment, we will be happy to file your claim for you. You must be familiar with your insurance benefits, because we will collect from you the estimated amount insurance is not expected to pay.

By law, your insurance company is required to pay each claim within 30 days of receipt. We file all insurance electronically, so your insurance company will receive each claim within days of the treatment.

You are responsible for any balance on your account after 30 days, whether insurance has paid or not. We will be glad to send a refund to you if your insurance pays us.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND that we file dental insurance as a courtesy to our patients. We do not have a contract with your insurance company, only you do. We are not responsible for how your insurance company handles its claims or for what benefits they pay on a claim.

We can only assist you in estimating your portion of the cost of treatment. At no time do we guarantee what your insurance will or will not do with each claim. We also cannot be responsible for any errors in filing your insurance. Once again, we file claims as a courtesy to you.

Fact 1 – NO INSURANCE PAYS 100% OF ALL PROCEDURES

Dental insurance is meant to be an aid in receiving dental care. Many patients believe their insurance pays 90% to 100% of all dental fees. This is not true! Most plans only pay between 50% and 80% of the average total fee.

Some pay more, some pay less. 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.

You may have noticed that sometimes your dental insurer 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”) estimated 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.

Insurance companies set their own schedules, and each company uses a different set of fees it considers allowable. These allowable fees may vary widely, because each company collects fee information from claims it processes.

The insurance company then takes this data and arbitrarily chooses a level it calls the “allowable” UCR Fee. Frequently, this data can be three to five years old and these “allowable” fees are set by the insurance company so it can make a net 20% to 30% profit.

Unfortunately, insurance companies imply that your dentist is “overcharging”, rather than they are “underpaying”, or that their benefits are low. In general, the less expensive insurance policy will use a lower usual, customary, or reasonable (UCR) figure.

Fact 2 – DEDUCTIBLES & CO-PAYMENTS MUST BE CONSIDERED

When estimating dental benefits, deductibles and percentages must be considered. To illustrate, assume the fee for service is $150.00.

Assuming that the insurance company allows $150.00 as its usual and customary (UCR) fee, we can figure out what benefits will be paid. First, a deductible (paid by you), on average $50, is subtracted, leaving $100.00. The plan then pays 80% for this particular procedure. The insurance company will then pay 80% of $100.00, or $80.00.

Out of a $150.00 fee the carrier will pay an estimated $80.00, leaving a remaining portion of $70.00 (to be paid by the patient). Of course, if the UCR is less than $150.00 or your plan pays only at 50%, then the insurance benefits will also be significantly less.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, please keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, insurance company address, or a change of employment.

Balancing Flexibility with Affordability for Your Child’s Dental Care

Welcome to Cedarcrest Children's Dentistry, where we believe every child deserves a bright, healthy smile. Our dental plan is designed to provide comprehensive dental care while offering flexibility and affordability.

Terms & Conditions

Payment in full is required to enroll in the Cedarcrest Children's Dentistry for Children’s Dental Plan.

New Patients: $400

New patients will qualify for existing patient prices after completing their first year of membership.

Existing Patients: $350

Services Covered Annually

  • Two routine dental exams
  • Two dental cleanings
  • Two fluoride applications
  • X-rays (bitewings)
  • 25% discount on all additional dental services

Renewal: Dental Plan will automatically renew yearly and be charged to the credit card on file.

Termination: Our Dental Plan may be cancelled at any time, and any unused service credits will be refunded back to the credit card on file, less a $25 administrative fee.

Our Dental Plan

Our Dental Plan is a membership program that ensures your child’s dental needs are met with ease and at a reduced cost. By joining our plan, you gain access to essential dental services without the hassle of pre-existing condition rules, annual limits, deductibles, or waiting periods.

Mon
8:00am to 5:00pm
Tue
8:00am to 5:00pm
Wed
8:00am to 5:00pm
Thu
8:00am to 5:00pm