Pediatric Dentist Office Information
At All Stars Pediatric Dentistry, we are here to make your child’s dental experience as easy as possible. Whether this is your child’s first visit or you are a returning customer, we have the information you need. Our office gets commonly asked questions from parents just like you who are unsure about our procedures. We have addressed these questions below.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Your Pediatric Office
How are pediatric dental appointments scheduled?
At All Stars Pediatric Dentistry, we understand how busy your life can be as a parent. This is why we strive to schedule appointment times at your convenience, finding slots that work with your itinerary. Our recommended appointment times for certain age groups are as follows:
- Preschool Children - Schedule these little ones in the morning, after your usual dental hygiene routine during that time. Our hygienists will have extra time with your child in the morning, so they will be able to work slowly for your child’s own comfort.
- School Children - Schedule these little guys for the morning as well, especially if they have a lot of schoolwork to be done. We don’t want to get in the way of their education!
Are pediatric dental appointments considered excused absences?
Yes. However, to ensure that your child is not missing out on important curricular activities, we recommend that you schedule an appointment for the morning on a school day.
What is your cancellation policy for dental appointments?
All of the appointment times on our schedule are reserved for each individual patient. Because of this, we appreciate a 24-hour notice for canceled appointments. This gives us plenty of time to notify other patients who may need our care during this open time slot. We understand that unexpected events pop up, but we ask that you do what you can to give us plenty of notice if you need to cancel your appointment.
Can I stay with my child during their dental visit?
Of course! You are free to accompany your child to their initial examination. You can even stay by their side during their entire visit. Our team is here to make your child as comfortable and confident with us as possible. Your positive comments during our dental treatment will reinforce the welcoming environment we have created for your child.
You are also free to wait in our designated areas if you don’t feel that your child needs your presence in the room during their treatment. For parents with more than one child, All Stars Pediatric Dentistry asks that any other children in the office who are not currently being treated should stay in the reception area with a supervising adult.
What are your payment options for pediatric dental procedures?
The payment required for our pediatric dental services is due on the day of the procedure. All Stars Pediatric Dentistry provides several treatment plans that adhere to your timetable and budget, while also giving your child the best care available. Our office accepts cash, debit cards, and most credit card providers.
All Stars Pediatric Dentistry’s Office Policy Regarding Dental Insurance
The team at All Stars Pediatric Dentistry can file your insurance claim for you ONLY if you have provided us with all of your insurance information on the day of your child’s appointment. You will need to be familiar with your insurance policies, as the payment due we collect is based on the estimated amount that your insurance is expected to not pay. According to current state and federal laws, your insurance is required to pay this claim within 30 days of receiving the receipt. All Stars Pediatric Dentistry files all insurance claims electronically, so your insurance company will receive this receipt within days of your child’s treatment. After those 30 days have passed, you will be responsible for any outstanding balance on your account, regardless of whether or not your insurance has paid the amount remaining. If you have not paid this balance within 60 days of the initial claim, we will issue a re-billing fee of 1.5%, which will be added to your account each month until the total amount is paid. If your insurance pays their dues late, All Stars Pediatric Dentistry will refund you any outstanding costs that you have paid during that time.
All Stars Pediatric Dentistry ONLY files dental insurance as a courtesy to you, the parent of our patients. You are the ONLY one that holds a contract with your insurance company. We do not hold responsibility for your insurance company or how it handles claims, or what benefits it pays. Our team can only assist you in estimating a portion of your child’s treatment costs. At no time during this process can we guarantee how your insurance will handle the claim we send. All Stars Pediatric Dentistry also holds no responsibility for any filing errors in your insurance. Again, we ONLY file dental insurance claims as a courtesy to you.
Fact 1 - NO INSURANCE PAYS 100% OF ALL PROCEDURES
Many people think that having dental insurance means that you don’t have to pay any fees on the day of your child’s appointment. Unfortunately, this is just not true. Dental insurance is only meant to aid in paying for dental care. Many insurance providers will only pay between 50% - 80% of total costs. How much of the dental fees are covered will vary from agency to agency. Typically, the percentage covered is determined by the insurance costs you or your employer is paying. Percentage covered can also be determined by the type of contract that your employer has entered into with your insurance provider.
Fact 2 - BENEFITS ARE NOT DETERMINED BY OUR OFFICE
It is not unheard of for your dental insurance to reimburse you or our dentist at a lower rate than our actual fee. When this happens, your dental insurance will explain the reason for this being that our fees exceed the usual, customary, or reasonable fee (UCR) that is commonly used in our industry.
This explanation will give the impression that the fees we charge that are greater than the amount paid by your dental insurance are unreasonable, or that they are well over what other local dentists charge for their services. This statement provided by your insurance company is misleading and inaccurate.
Every individual insurance company sets their own schedules and allowable fees, which can greatly vary. The fee information a dental insurance company collects is based off of the claims it processes. This data is used when the dental insurance company is deciding their own “allowable” UCR Fee. Oftentimes, this data can be dated, sometimes even 3 - 5 years old. Also, these “allowable” fees are set by dental insurance providers with the sole purpose of making a 20% - 30% profit.
A UCR Fee implies that your dentist is “overcharging,” when in reality your dental insurance is simply “underpaying” or has low benefits. If your insurance policy is on the cheaper side, you can expect a lower UCR figure.
Fact 3 - DEDUCTIBLES & CO-PAYMENTS MUST BE CONSIDERED
When our office files a claim and estimates the amount your insurance will pay, we take into consideration your current deductibles and percentages. For example: if the fee for your office visit is $150, and your dental insurance allows this amount as its UCR Fee, then we can determine what benefits will be paid. First, the deductible you must pay at the time of your visit is typically around $50, leaving $100 left over from the total amount. If your dental insurance plan pays for 80% of this remaining cost as part of their stipulations in your contract, then they will pay $80 towards your bill (80% of $100). This leaves a $70 remaining cost for you to pay ($150 - $80). Remember that this is only an example, and that UCR Fees vary from insurance to insurance. Your own dental insurance may have a UCR less than $150, or your plan benefits many only cover 50% of costs.
Remember to keep All Stars Pediatric Dentistry up-to-date on your insurance. Any changes like policy name, employment, or insurance company address must be updated in our records at the time of your appointment, if you wish to get an accurate estimate of your bill.
