Office Policies

Your First Visit

Your initial visit to our office is very important to us. It gives us the opportunity to get to know each other and determine what you hope to accomplish with your smile. During this visit, Dr. Johnson will answer questions you may have such as the type of treatment needed, when it should start, and the estimated treatment time. If treatment is indicated, you will be able to discuss fees and payment options before treatment begins.

If you are excited to get your treatment started, diagnostic records can usually be taken at the conclusion of this appointment so you can begin your treatment as soon as possible.

Consultation

After Dr. Johnson has evaluated your records, he will discuss your treatment with you in detail, including the cost for your individual case.

Regular Appointments

The appointment when you get your appliances (braces, expanders, etc.) usually takes from 1 to 2 hours. You'll then see us at regular intervals 4 to 8 weeks apart for an adjustment, which takes 20 to 30 minutes. Our regular office hours are Monday to Thursday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We make every effort to be on time for our patients and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately. Cancel only if it is an emergency. It is difficult to reschedule you since most appointments are made 4 to 8 weeks in advance.

Payment & Office Policies

Cost

The cost of treatment depends on the severity of the patient's problem. You will be able to discuss fees and payment options before treatment begins. We have payment plans to suit different budgets. We also accept assignment from most insurance plans and we will file the necessary papers to the insurance company. We work hard to make orthodontics affordable.

Fees

In an effort to keep orthodontic fees down while maintaining the highest level of professional care, we have established this financial policy:

• If full payment is made at the onset of treatment, we will offer a fee discount. (If you have insurance, we will offer a discount for payment of your portion of the fee that will not be covered by insurance.)
• To fit your individual needs, financial arrangements can be made to extend your payments over a period of months.
• For your convenience, we accept payment by all major credit cards.
• In cases of serious delinquency, treatment will be discontinued, although we will make every effort to accommodate patients with temporary difficulties.

Insurance

If you have insurance, we will help you to determine the coverage you have available. We ask that you assign your insurance benefit to us. The balance will be arranged for you to pay (see above). Professional care is provided to you, our patient, and not to an insurance company. Thus, the insurance company is responsible to the patient and the patient is responsible to the doctor. We will help in every way we can in filing your claim and handling insurance questions from our office on your behalf.

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