First visit

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At Dr. Long's office,  you are our first priority.  From the moment you walk in the door, we make it our mission to meet all your dental needs.  Our goal is for your first visit to our office to  turn into a lifelong relationship with our practice.

Your first appointment with our team will take approximately 60 minutes. Please arrive a few minutes early to complete  your New Patient Form and get familiar with our office.  You may also download and complete the New Patient Form and bring it with you to your appointment.  

What you can expect during your first visit to our office:

A Review of Your Dental Care History – During your first visit, we will review your dental care history, as well as any concerns you currently have about your oral health.

A Complete Oral Exam with X-rays – Our team will do a complete oral exam, including   the following:

• Examination of diagnostic X-rays (radiographs): Essential for detection of decay, tumors, cysts, and bone loss.  X-rays also help determine tooth and root positions. 
• Oral cancer screening: Check the face, neck, lips, tongue, throat, tissues, and gums for signs of oral cancer. 
• Gum disease evaluation: Check the gums and bone around the teeth for any signs of periodontal disease. 

A Concise Oral Health Plan – At the end of your first visit, we will prepare recommendations for your total oral health, which will include full oral maintenance, as well as the potential of additional dentistry services that you and your doctor agree upon. We strive to keep all of our patients up to date and educated regarding their dental care to ensure you fully understand all of your dental care options.

Please assist us by providing the following information at the time of your consultation: 

• Previous X-rays if applicable.
• A list of medications you are presently taking.
• If you have dental insurance, bring the necessary completed forms. This will save time and allow us to help you process any claims.

 If your previous dentist has taken recent x-rays (within 6 months), you may request that they forward them to our office.  If there is not enough time, please pick them up and bring them to our office. 

The New Patient Form can be downloaded to your computer, printed and filled out at home. Filling out these forms ahead of time will help make your visits to our office as quick and convenient as possible. If you have any questions when filling out the form our staff will happily assist you with any questions on the day of your appointment.

We deliver the finest care at the most reasonable cost to our patients.  Payment is due at the time service is rendered, unless other arrangements have been made in advance. For your convenience we accept Interac (Debit), cash, e-transfer, Visa and Master Card. 

Feel free to contact our office if your treatment plan requires more comprehensive dental work and you want to discuss financial arrangements.

What Is Dental Insurance & How Does It Work?

Dental Insurance is a contract between your employer and a dental insurance company. The benefits you will receive are based on the terms of the contract that were negotiated between your employer and the dental insurance company and not your dental office.

We are here to assist you with calls to your insurance company, in your presence, to determine eligibility and coverage, and to assist with predeterminations as well. We believe an informed patient will utilize their dental benefits, which maximizes their overall health.

DENTAL INSURANCE 

We are pleased to accept most dental insurance plans for dental treatments. Electronic claims processing is also available and our helpful office administrators will be happy to file your claim.

We are also pleased to assist you in better understanding and managing your insurance coverage, however due to privacy regulations and limitations, it is the patients responsibility to provide our office with up to date insurance coverage breakdowns.  Claim history will be required if you have received treatment outside our practice.

A plan may include specific inclusions and exclusions that we will not know of in advance; therefore, it is important for the patient to understand his/her dental benefits.  

Covered & Non Covered Services

Unfortunately, your dental insurer will not cover some of the services that you may need or want. Our goal is to help you achieve and maintain optimal dental care, which is not necessarily the goal of your insurance company.

Dental insurance companies rarely cover 100 percent of any dental fee and, in many cases, cover less than 50 percent or nothing at all. Many insurance plans have a dollar amount limitation each year. Once this limit is reached, your dental insurance company regardless how essential the service may be to your dental health will cover no other services.

Please remember even though we bill your insurance company on your behalf, any remaining balance after your insurance company’s payment is your responsibility.  For all major work, we always send an estimate to obtain approval from the insurance company before treatment is initiated.   

To have a better understanding of your insurance policies, here are some commonly used insurance terms to know:

ANNUAL MAXIMUM - This is the maximum amount of annual coverage you have under your insurance policy. Please keep in mind that this coverage can be changed by your provider so it is important to stay up to date with any changes. 

DEDUCTIBLE - The amount that you pay for your treatment prior to when your coverage begins. 

ELIGIBILITY - The parameters that determine who is eligible to be covered under the insurance policy.

EXCLUSIONS - It's likely that not all dental treatments and services are covered by your dental insurance. These exclusions are because insurance companies want to save money. Be sure to go over your insurance booklet to check what services and treatments are covered. 

CO-PAYMENT - Dental insurance rarely covers 100% of total fees for treatments or services. Co-payment is the amount of a treatment fee that you are expected to pay for that is not covered by your dental insurance.  

Depending on your plan, an 80/20 co-payment is common for basic procedures such as x-rays, cleaning, fillings and root canals. This means that the dental plan covers 80% of the bill. A 50/50 co-payment is common for major procedures such as crowns and bridges.  But there are many variations; be sure to check your specific plan.

Can my dentist waive my co-payment?

No. The waiving of a co-payment is insurance fraud and is against the law. Your dentist could be heavily fined or even lose their license.   When you and your dentist sign the claim form that goes to the insurance company, you are stating which services were provided and how much, in total, was charged. The insurance company pays its share based upon the assumption that you will do the same.

DUAL COVERAGE - when both you and your spouse are covered by different insurance plans. The insurance companies will then work out the benefits so that you don’t have to pay for more than 100% of the treatment’s fees. 

How Our Office Helps

We will do everything possible to help you understand and make the most of your dental insurance benefits. Our office will complete and submit dental insurance forms to the company to achieve the maximum reimbursement to which you are entitled and will work diligently to make this happen as quickly as possible.

We will help you with all your insurance needs to ensure your visit is stress free!

We thank you for allowing us to take care of your dental needs and look forward to serving you!