Office Policies

Appointments

We recognize that your time is valuable; therefore we make a concerted effort to begin appointments promptly; please arrive on time. Do understand that the nature of a pediatric office involves emergencies that can alter our schedule. We ask that you extend a courtesy to these families, just as you would expect, if it were your child being seen emergently. If you are unable to keep an appointment, please notify our office at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance so that we can offer the time to another child in need of treatment. Missed appointment fees are imposed only if you give us insufficient notice.

Ensuring the Privacy of our Patients

In our experience, children focus better without a parent present, thus fostering a more positive experience for your child; however, we will welcome a parent into the operatory. If you choose to accompany your child we ask you to respect the privacy of our other patients; we can only allow one parent with a child. If you plan to be with your child, please make arrangements for your other children as we cannot have unattended children in the reception area.

We ask that you silence your cellular phone and other mobile devices as a courtesy to our doctors, staff, and other patients. Any interruption would impact patient care and impinge on the privacy of others.

Financial Provisions and Insurance

To reduce billing costs and maintain reasonable fees, we require that you pay for treatment at the time of the visit. Please understand that under New Hampshire law, the parent who accompanies the child to the visit is responsible for payment of all charges. Legally, we cannot send statements to other persons. For your convenience we accept payment rendered by cash, check, Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, Discover®, CareCredit®, or PayPal™.

For more information on payment options please view our Payment Options Page.

Insurance

As a courtesy, we will be happy to accept assignment of benefits from your insurance carrier. When patients are scheduled for operative appointments (i.e. sealants, fillings, etc.) we request a minimum payment of 20% at the time of the visit, notwithstanding assignment of benefits.

If we have all of your insurance information on the day of the appointment, we will be happy to file your claim for you. You must be familiar with your insurance benefits, as we will collect from you the estimated amount insurance is not expected to pay.

You are responsible for any balance on your account after 30 days, whether insurance has paid or not. If you have not paid your balance within 60 days a finance charge of 1.5% will be added to your account each month until paid. Should it become necessary to send an account to a collection agency, we add a service charge to the balance.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND that we file dental insurance as a courtesy to our patients. We do not have a contract with your insurance company, only you do. We are not responsible for what benefits they pay on a claim. We can only assist you in estimating your portion of the cost of treatment; we do not guarantee what your insurance will do with each claim. We also can not be responsible for any errors in filing your claim. Our staff are happy to assist you with your insurance questions so please ask.

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You and Your Dental Insurance Coupon Company

Many years ago, dental insurance benefits averaged $1000 which would cover a good portion of dental work. This equivalent would be $8000 in today's dollars if insurance companies kept up with inflation. Now, two cleanings a year can reduce your maximum by almost one third because the average is still $1000.

Dental insurance is meant to assist people in receiving dental care. In fact, it is better to think about your dental benefits as a coupon rather than insurance. Your insurance will pay nowhere near the 80% you may think; the amount paid is determined by how much you or your employer has paid for coverage or the type of contract your employer has set up with the insurance company.

Please know that dentists have no role in your insurance; they simply get caught in the middle. Dentists try hard to accommodate their patients by handling the extra phone calls, paperwork, etc. that insurance companies require.

Insurance companies decide what to pay on what they consider allowable; they assume that all doctors are equally talented, caring, and focused on quality - this notion is not true. When insurers ask dentist to make a deal by cutting their fees by 30-50%, these dentists must see more people and cut costs somehow, thus reducing quality. Unfortunately, insurance companies imply that your dentist is "overcharging" rather than say that they are "underpaying" or that their benefits are low.

Remember that having a dental coupon company is still nice to assist you in obtaining dental care for your family, but coverage is not nearly as complete as you might think.

We look forward to meeting you and your child. Please ask questions or offer suggestions and we welcome and appreciate referrals to our office. At Amherst Pediatric Dental Associates we provide outstanding dental care in a caring, comfortable, and fun atmosphere. Your cooperation will help us educate, motivate, and excite your child about oral health.

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Call us today at (603) 673-1000 - We'll give your child a reason to smile!

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