Choosing a Cosmetic Dentist to Fit Into Your Dental Plan
Unlike medical care, finding a cosmetic dentist that is right for you does not mean just looking through the dental plan booklet and finding out who is available. There is no third party administrator booklet that points out dentists who have extensive experience in cosmetic dentistry. And remember, cosmetic dentistry is not simply about aesthetics, it’s about restorative dental work as well. Restorative dentistry performed by cosmetic dentists usually brings new technology and the latest in materials into the picture. Both of which, support aesthetic objectives and restorative ones. So, selecting the right cosmetic dentist based on training, education and availability of modern technology in the office is important. But, what about all of your other needs? Let’s check out some needs that we have found to be important.
Hours of Operation: Knowing that your dentist will fit into your schedule can make a difference. In case you are juggling children’s schedules, it may be important to know if your dentist treats both adults and children. So, perhaps it’s even nice to know how many treatment chairs your dentist has. Will you be able to schedule all of your family members in at the same time?
Support for Emergency Treatment: It’s wise to know if your dentist is available for last minute emergency treatment. In fact, it’s also good to know what type of support your dentist ca offer should the need arise. Is it over the phone, via email or in person?
Referrals: Dental plans usually have limited information about their list of dentists. So, it’s a good idea to turn to friends, family and co-workers to obtain suggestions for dentists.
Office Ambiance and Equipment Availability: You can usually learn about the office ambiance from a dentist’s website. The website often provides information about the mission and goals of the practice. Sometimes, there are photos of the office. There are also descriptions of the procedures that the dentist performs and information about the technology that the practice has. Some dentists even have their own labs in their office which can help speed up treatment time. So, it’s good to know about the dentist’s practice before you select a dentist.
Out of Pocket Dental Costs: Typically, dental plans offer the equivalent of a discount pr flat fee on preventative and restorative services with an annual cap of up to $1500.00. In general, insurance companies do not cover cosmetic dentistry procedures. Yet, companies usually do provide some coverage for composite tooth colored dental fillings. As well, since true cosmetic dentists focus on both restorative work and aesthetic work, they may use advanced materials and technologies to complete procedures that your insurance company may still provide coverage for. In the end, your insurance may cover a portion of the costs associated with your dental treatment, but what about the rest? It’s wise to know if your cosmetic dentist accepts payment plans or knows of patient financing companies that can cover the balance of your procedure until you are able to comfortably pay the balance later on.
If you are interested in general dentistry or cosmetic dentistry, contact Austin Dental Spa.