Frequently Asked Questions

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What insurance companies are you contracted with?

We are contracted with:  Anthem PPO, Cigna PPO, Guardian and MetLife.  We will work with practically all insurance companies (excluding HMO plans) and can submit your claims for you. 

How much radiation am I exposed to during dental x-rays?

Radiation is measured in Millirems.  In the US, we are exposed to about 360 mrems per year from natural sources like the sun and natural gas.  One intraoral image exposes the patient  to 0.5 mrems.  A panoramic (the ear to ear extraoral image) is about 21 mrems.  To compare, for every hour you are flying in an airplane, you are exposed to 0.5 mrems, living in Denver for one year imparts 51 mrems, and a CT scan of the abdomen is 1000 mrems.

What forms of payment do we accept?

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Personal Checks, and of course cash.

We can also help you with flexible spending plans.

How easy is it to get an appointment?

We do recommend making appointments in advance, particularly for hygiene.  The early and late appointments book up quickly.  We have a "short call" list, which patients can be placed on to be notified when an reserved time slot opens.

What happens if I don't do any treatment?

Gasp!  The horror!  Tooth decay and gum disease are progressive.  Most dental problems only get larger and more complicated to resolve.  Certain conditions, such as dry-mouth, exacerbate dental diseases, increasing the need to treat issues quickly.  We practice minimally invasive dentistry as much as possible. . . detecting and treating the decay before it gets extensive.

How do you help fearful patients?

We try to achieve a harmonious environment, keeping the patient informed of the treatment being rendered, comfortably distracted (ie. nose cancelling headphones), and of course profound local anesthesia.  Occasionally medications are prescribed to be used pre-operatively.