Our team is happy to file dental claims on your behalf. Since there are thousands of dental insurance plans available, your coverage options are unique. Give us a call to discuss your out-of-pocket estimates, and be sure to bring your insurance information with you to your dental appointment.
We are In-Network with the following insurance providers:
- Aetna PPO
- Anthem PPO
- Careington
- Cigna PPO
- Delta Dental PPO
- Emblem Health PPO
- GEHA PPO
- Guardian PPO
- Humana PPO
- MetLife PDP Plus and FEDVIP PPO
- Maryland Healthy Smiles for children ages 0-21
- Mutual of Omaha PPO
- Optum Serve for Veterans
- Principal PPO
- Renaissance PPO
- Sun Life
- Tricare
- United Concordia PPO (Elite Plus plans ONLY)
- Unum PPO
We are currently Out-of-Network with all Care First, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicaid/Medicare Adults, and United Health Care plans.
New patient visits are 90 minutes long and include a comprehensive examination of the teeth and gums, a full mouth series of x-rays, a panoramic x-ray, a 3-D intraoral scan, and cleaning. We also offer fluoride treatment to all our patients, as everyone can benefit from stronger teeth!
Please note that we always recommend that the patient calls their insurance prior to a dental appointment to confirm if our office is in or out of network and to confirm benefits. Our office only has access to the insurance information that the patient provides us with, so it is important to provide us with any primary, secondary, and tertiary insurance policies. We also do not have access to a patient's dental history from prior offices unless provided, which can cause unexpected charges to the patient due to frequency limits. Our office attempts to verify benefits, but when we cannot, benefits are estimated. This is why it is important for the patient to be familiar with their dental policy.
Dental insurance can help lower the cost of dental care that you would have to pay on your own if you didn’t have the plan. This is how most dental plans work:
You pay a premium: This is often a monthly amount you pay for having dental insurance. If you get dental coverage through an employer, it may be deducted from your pay. If you buy a plan on your own, you pay the monthly cost directly to the insurer.
There may be a waiting period: This means you may have to wait a maximum of six months before you’re covered for dental care that goes beyond preventive oral exams.
You may need a primary dentist: Some types of dental insurance coverage may require you to choose a primary dentist. This is the dentist you will see for any problems, and they will coordinate any specialized dental care you may need. This type of policy is a DMO policy (our office is not in network with any DMO policies)
In-network or out-of-network: Depending on the plan you get, you may or may not be required to see dentists in the plan network. In-network dentists have a contracted set of fees that they can charge patients. Out-of-network dentists are not contracted and can charge their office fees. The patient is responsible for the difference between what the insurance pays and what the office charges.
Frequency and limitations are important: These terms of dental coverage tell you what you’re covered for and not covered for. For example, you can get a no-cost dental exam and cleaning once every six months. And, you may only be covered for a limited number of different types of dental care and treatment, from basic to major care.
Your dental insurance may come with a deductible: A deductible is the amount of money you must pay out-of-pocket for dental care before your plan starts to share those costs.
Annual Maximum: Your dental insurance may also have an annual maximum. This is the most your plan will pay for dental care in a plan year. After that, you will pay any additional costs for care.
Preventive dental care is often no-cost: This means you get an oral exam every six months, along with certain types of routine x-rays.
Dental insurance coverage is broken down into certain types of dental care, such as preventive, restorative, orthodontic, etc.: Depending on the type of dental plan you choose, you may have more or less coverage for certain types of dental care. This is why it’s important to plan ahead for the type of dental care you and your family might need. For example, if you expect to just need preventive dental care, maybe a basic dental plan that primarily covers preventive dental care is enough. If you expect to need things like crowns, root canals, bridges, implants, etc., then a dental plan that covers more specialized dental care and treatments may be better for you. Different procedures have different copays (amounts due at the time of service usually based on a percentage of the total fee).
X-rays are a dentist's most important diagnostic tool. Often, problems start inside your teeth or beneath the gum line. By the time the problem is visible to the naked eye, it can be painful and more difficult to treat. Using x-rays taken on a regular basis, we can catch problems early and treat them quickly and comfortably.
-Brush Your Teeth at Least Twice Daily
Using an electric toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, brush your teeth for two full minutes using a small circular motion with the bristles gently angled toward your gumline. Using excessive force to brush will not clean your teeth more effectively and may damage delicate gum tissue.
-Floss at Least Once Daily
Using two to three feet of floss, floss up and down each side of each of your teeth. Do not force the floss any further than it will comfortably go. Think of your floss as a squeegee that removes plaque. Don’t miss flossing behind your back teeth.
-Dental Exams, Cleanings, and X-Rays
Every patient is different. Follow your dentist’s recommended recall schedule to maintain healthy teeth and gums. For most patients, this will require a visit every six months. For patients who suffer from gum disease, have some catching up to do, or who have reduced dexterity that makes home care difficult, we may recommend more frequent visits to maintain your oral health.
Some options for replacing a missing tooth are:
-Bridge - A dental bridge usually consists of a false tooth held in place by dental crowns that have been cemented onto each side of the missing tooth. We use a local laboratory to custom-create our bridges, which usually takes about two weeks to manufacture.
-Partial - A partial denture is a removable, natural-looking dental appliance that helps restore the form and function of your jaw by replacing one or several missing teeth. We use a local laboratory to custom create our partials, which may take several office visits and weeks to complete.
-Implant - An implant is a titanium threaded post that takes the place of a tooth's root. The surgery usually takes about one hour, and pain levels are controlled with local anesthesia and minimal pain medications. Healing generally takes about 4-6 months before the crown is placed.
-If the missing tooth is not replaced, over time, the surrounding teeth may begin to shift to fill in the missing space and can cause what is known as bite collapse. When you lose teeth, there’s nothing for the neighboring teeth to be supported against. This causes them to want to shift into a stable position because other teeth are still putting force on them. Shifting means that your smile changes, and with it, you also lose some bone mass in your jaw, which can lead to further tooth loss.