Office Policies.......

Appointments
Your scheduled appointment is time reserved specifically for your child. If a cancellation is unavoidable, please call the office at least 24 hours in advance so that we may give that time to another patient. In addition, if you arrive 10-15 minutes late for your appointment, you may be asked to reschedule for the next available appointment time. Again, please call at least 24 hours in advance if a cancellation is unavoidable so that we may give the appointment to another patient. One missed appointment without a 24 hour prior notification is considered a "No Show" appointment and will result in a $35.00 rescheduling fee.

We strive to see all patients on time for their scheduled appointment. We make every effort to stay on schedule. There are times when our schedule is delayed in order to accommodate an injured child or an emergency. Please accept our apology in advance should this occur during your appointment. We will provide you the same courtesy if your child is in need of emergency treatment. If you have to wait more than 15 minutes, please ask our business staff the reason for the delay.

Please plan to arrive 10 minutes or more before your scheduled appointment. This will allow time to complete any additional paperwork and see your child on time.

A parent or legal guardian (with official documentation) must be present in the office during the initial examination and/or any filling appointments.

Fees and Payment
Fees are determined by the amount of time spent with the doctor, in preparation or evaluating diagnostic data, and the cost of materials and laboratory fees. We accept cash, check, or credit card (MasterCard and Visa). If you are interested in one of the financing plans offered by CareCredit, we will be happy to assist you with the application. If you have any questions concerning our fees or methods of payment, please let us know.

In certain unusual circumstances an account balance may occur. Southwest Pediatric Dentistry requires all outstanding balances to be paid in full within (30) days unless other arrangements have been made.

Insurance
As a courtesy to our patients, we will complete insurance claim forms at our expense. A written cost estimate will always be given to you before the service is provided. We will be happy to bill your dental insurance company for services rendered. Your deductible, co-payment and non-covered portions will be calculated and will be due at the time of service. If your insurance company fails to pay our office, then you are responsible for the balance.

There is a variety of dental insurance coverage. Nearly every dental plan limits the amount of money the insurance company will pay for covered services. Coverage is rarely 100%. If you have questions about your coverage, please refer these questions to your insurance carrier or to your employer.

Parent Participation
Parents are welcome to accompany their child into the treatment area during the initial examination. This gives you the opportunity to see our staff in action and allows the doctor to discuss the dental findings and treatment needs directly with you. We do ask that if you choose to accompany your child, assume the role of a silent observer. Your presence is greatly enhanced if you play a passive role. If more than one person is speaking to the child, they may become confused. Cooperation and trust must be established directly between the doctor and your child. There may be times when a child's experience is enhanced by a parent's absence. We encourage older children, 5 years and older, to come back to the treatment area by themselves as this builds independence and trust.

Typically, children of all ages will do better without a parent present in the treatment room during an operative (filling) appointment. You are welcome to observe through our glass treatment doors. Children who are very apprehensive may look for an "escape" by going to their parents. In this case, we may ask that a parent wait in the reception room during treatment in order to facilitate a more direct line of communication between the child and the doctor.

For safety and privacy of the other patients, all others (including children that are not scheduled at this appointment) are asked to remain in the reception room. Young children in the reception room will need a supervising adult. Finally, if you expect your child to do well and enjoy their visit to our office, chances are they will do just that! Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in these matters.

Emergency Service
Dental emergencies usually occur after regular office hours! For that reason, Southwest Pediatric Dentistry maintains a 24-hour emergency service program for our patients and our parents. We are available to you anytime in the event of accident, dental pain, or infection. You are encouraged to contact us after office hours by our answering service at (402) 473-0540.