How fees work
Many plans pay part of periodontal care, some through dental coverage and some through medical coverage. Here is how paying works, in the order patients usually ask.
Insurance we work with
We bill many dental and medical plans and file the claim for you. Whether we are in network depends on your plan, so we tell you before you come in. Gum surgery and implants are often split between dental and medical coverage, and the plan decides what it pays.
PPO and indemnity dental plans: we file the claim
DHMO plans: ask us, they work differently
Medicare and Medicare Advantage: ask us, dental coverage varies
MassHealth (Medicaid) and CHIP: call and we will answer plainly
If you pay yourself
If you have no dental plan, we give you a written estimate for the exam and for each treatment before work starts. Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender.
Pay at the visit
Third-party financing, set by the lender
Receipts for reimbursement
After each visit we give you an itemized statement with procedure codes. You can send it to a plan that reimburses you, and the plan decides what it pays.
Itemized, every visit
Procedure codes included
An estimate in advance
You can ask for a written estimate before any treatment. If you're paying without insurance, we give you a written estimate in advance, when you schedule or whenever you ask. It lists each step we expect and the fee for each.
Written, before treatment
Each step and its fee
Take it home before you decide
Checking your benefits
The referral desk checks your dental and medical benefits before your first visit and tells you what your plan says. A plan's answer is an estimate, not a promise to pay.
We check before the first visit
We tell you what the plan says
What the first visit includes
About an hour: an exam by a periodontist, a review of your films, a plan with your options, and a written estimate. Fill in your health history on our private patient portal, not by email or in the contact form.
Open the patient portalAn exam and a talk
Your options in writing
Health history on the portal
The practice replaces these answers with its own.
Questions
Questions about paying
Why would a plan treat the same visit differently?
Plans differ in what they cover and how they sort gum care and implants between dental and medical benefits. That is why we check yours first.
What if my plan pays less than the estimate?
A plan's estimate is the plan's, not ours. If its final payment differs, we explain the difference before you pay and go over your options.
Do you offer financing?
Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender. Ask the front desk for the lender's own terms before you decide.
Ask for a written estimate
Tell us what you need and how you plan to pay. We'll tell you what to expect before you book.