Quality healthcare can be expensive. We recognize this, and we strive to make dental care affordable for you and your family.

Answers to your questions about finances and insurance:

1) “How much is your new patient appointment?”

Since comprehensive treatment is an important part of our philosophy, we do a very thorough evaluation for new patients. The typical new patient appointment includes a comprehensive examination with a full set of x-rays, as well as a cleaning, and costs just over $300. If you have had recent x-rays, we will be happy to get those from your prior dentist. This allows us to avoid charging you for these x-rays and also saves you from additional radiation.

2) “How much are consecutive cleanings? I want to keep my family's teeth healthy, but I just don't know if we can afford it...”

Several of our patients and friends with large families have told us how hard it is on their finances to bring everyone in for 6-month cleaning appointments. We came up with our Preventive Care Plan to help people spread out the costs of preventive care. The plan is available to individuals as well, but it is especially helpful for families.

The cost of two 6-month cleaning appointments is just over $300. Our preventive care plan allows you to pay for this treatment in affordable monthly payments of $15 per person, giving you a significant savings. The monthly installments can be charged to a credit card or automatically debited from a checking or HSA account. And for large families, we cap the monthly payments at $90 per family, so that additional members receive preventative care for free. You are eligible for a cleaning six months from the date of your first monthly payment, so the best time to sign up is right after having your teeth cleaned.

3) “I know I need dental work...but I don't have dental insurance, and I just can't afford treatment!”

We are participating providers in Delta Dental Patient Direct, a discount program for people who do not have dental insurance. We offer members of the discount plan a lower fee schedule; most fees are about 40% lower than the Edmond average. You can find more information about this discount program on Delta Dental's website.

4) “Are you in-network for my insurance?”

We are in-network for all the Delta Dental plans and some of the Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. There are a multitude of dental insurance providers and, though we cannot afford to be in-network for all of them, we can promise that we do our very best to help each individual get the very most out of their insurance benefits.

5) “You're not in-network for my insurance? Can I still become a patient, or should I keep looking for an in-network provider?”

We are happy to file your insurance for you. And at our office, you will probably receive most of the benefits that you would at an in-network provider. If you typically get free exams and cleanings every six months, you can also expect this at our office. If you need additional treatment, you can expect your insurance to help you out quite a bit with the cost, just as they would with an in-network dentist. Insurance pays a percentage of the cost for any given procedure, and many plans pay the same percentage, whether you're seeing an in-network or out-of-network provider.

If you wish to know what insurance benefits you can expect to receive at our office, we are more than happy to call your insurance provider, verify your out-of-network benefits, and then share the details with you.

6) “Do you offer any payment plans to spread out the cost of treatment?”

We do. Our most straightforward payment plans simply divide the cost of treatment into two to four payments. The payments can be automatically charged to a credit card or debited from a checking or HSA account.

We also offer payment plans through CareCredit, an organization which can finance larger sums. If you qualify for CareCredit, you can spread out the cost of treatment with a 6-month or 12-month no interest payment plan, or with low interest extended payment plans (24, 36, 48, or 60 months).

7) “I have dental insurance. If I need treatment, will I be expected to pay at the time of service?”

Our usual policy is to take your credit or debit card information at your appointment. After your insurance pays, we will contact you and inform you of the remaining balance and the date that your card will be charged. If that date doesn't work for your finances, we can reschedule it.

Cleaning

Expect your teeth to feel smooth and look clean and shiny! Please refrain from eating or drinking for 30 minutes after your appointment, in order to allow the fluoride time to absorb into your teeth. Depending on how much "deep cleaning" was necessary, your gums may be a bit sore afterward, and you may experience some cold sensitivity. This will resolve after a few days. A warm saltwater rinse (1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of water) can help with any discomfort you might experience.

Anesthetic

The local anesthetic that we use to keep you comfortable during dental procedures takes some time to "wear off". Your lips and tongue may stay numb for several hours. It is easy to injure yourself by accidentally biting your cheeks or tongue while they are numb, so it is best to avoid eating or drinking hot beverages until sensation returns. After the anesthetic wears off the injection site may be sore. Your favorite over-the-counter pain reliever should minimize this discomfort.

Extraction

It is important to bite on the gauze pack we gave you for 60 minutes. The pressure makes the blood clot form in your socket, a critical first step in the healing process. The anesthetic will keep your mouth numb for a little while, but you should go ahead and take the pain medications prescribed for you before the numbness wears off. This will ease the transition. Plan to relax for the rest of the day. To reduce swelling, apply ice to your check near the extraction site: 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. After you take the gauze out of your mouth, you may eat and drink, but stick to cold, soft foods for the first day.

Over the next few days, some oozing may occur, and you may notice blood on your pillow in the morning or in the sink when you spit after brushing. This is normal. Brush and floss as you typically do; just be gentle around the extraction site. Starting the day after the extraction, you may eat whatever is comfortable for you (use common sense). Drink plenty of fluids to speed healing. A gentle warm saltwater rinse (1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of warm water) can be helpful during the recovery period. Do not spit forcefully.

If you have sutures, they will come apart by themselves within a week or two. If they bother you, you may come in and get them removed. You should feel a little less sore each day. If at any point during the recovery process you have questions or do not feel that you are steadily improving, please give us a call. On rare occasions, a "dry socket" can develop, generally about 3 or 4 days after the extraction. This painful condition heals on its own, but please return so that we can apply a soothing gel that will help make you much more comfortable as it heals.

Filling

Your new restoration is tooth-colored, and you probably will not even be able to see it. You may eat or drink as soon as you leave the office; the composite hardens instantly. Your recovery process should be relatively short. Depending on how deep the decay had progressed in your tooth, you may have some cold sensitivity for up to a week. Your gums may also be sore for a few days if the restoration was placed near the gumline. A warm salt water rinse (1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of water) can be helpful if there is any soreness. If your bite does not seem to fit normally, please come back and allow us to adjust the restoration. Adjustment is quick and painless, and a poor fit can cause quite a bit of discomfort.

Scaling and Root Planing

After your deep cleaning, you will probably experience some gum soreness and cold sensitivity. This should subside in a week or two. Over-the-counter pain medications should help you through the worst of it. During this period, you will be most comfortable if you avoid spicy or salty foods. A warm salt water rinse (1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of water) usually helps with gum soreness. Sensitive toothpaste can help with the cold sensitivity.

Root Canal

After a root canal, you will experience some soreness. You should not have sharp pain because the nerve and other living tissues inside the tooth have been removed. However, the tooth will be tender if you attempt to chew on that side, because the bone around the tooth is irritated. To help this irritation subside quickly, chew primarily on the side opposite the tooth that has had the root canal. If the soreness does not steadily improve, please call us. After a week or two the tooth should feel more or less back to normal. If the temporary filling comes out at any point, please return to the office and let us replace it.

Bleaching

After in-office bleaching, you may experience some cold sensitivity and possibly some stinging sensations. The same side effects are also possible after at-home bleaching with trays. The uncomfortable side effects should susbside in a few days. Enjoy your brilliant smile!

Temporary Crowns

Temporary cement is deliberately "temporary", and the crown can be easily dislodged with sticky or unusually hard foods. So it's best to do most of your chewing on the other side of your mouth. If a temporary comes off or breaks, please return to the office, and we will repair or replace it at no cost to you. If it feels like your bite does not fit together correctly, let us know, and we will adjust the temporary crown to make your chewing more comfortable. Your gums may be sore around the restoration; if they are, try a warm salt water rinse (1 tsp of salt in 1 cup of warm water).

Permanent Crowns

Your new restoration has been placed using a cement that will reach full strength after a few hours. So for the rest of today you should continue to avoid sticky or unusually hard foods and chew away from the new crown. Tomorrow it is ready for anything. If your bite doesn't seem to fit correctly, give us a call! A poor fit can cause quite a bit of discomfort, all of which can be eliminated by some quick and painless adjustments.