We would like to see all school-age patients after school: however, this is not possible.

We are aware of school policies which make it more difficult for children to be out of school for any reason. However, MEDICAL and DENTAL appointments are EXCUSED ABSENCES with a doctor’s school pass and signature stating the child was in the office. We will be happy to provide that for you at your request. Missing school can be kept to a minimum when regular dental care is continued.

The office attempts to schedule appointments at your convenience and when time is available. Preschool children should be seen in the morning because they are fresher and we can work more slowly with them for their comfort. School children with a lot of work to be done should be seen in the morning for the same reason.

Since appointed times are reserved exclusively for each patient we ask that you please notify our office 24 hours in advance of your scheduled appointment time if you are unable to keep your appointment. Another patient, who needs our care, could be scheduled if we have sufficient time to notify them. We realize that unexpected things can happen, but we ask for your assistance in this regard.
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We strive to make each dental visit pleasant for every patient. We realize that each child has different needs and anxieties and therefore we have an Open Door Policy. We know that most children are more comfortable when a parent is with them. Parents are welcome to come into the treatment areas and stay with their child during the entire appointment. Although there are times when having the parent wait in the waiting room will help the child focus on the task at hand, we understand that usually the parent wants to be with their child. We also want you to feel comfortable allowing your child to accompany our team through the dental experience if and when they are ready to do so independently.
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Payment for professional services is due at the time dental treatment is provided. We accept cash, personal checks, MasterCard, Visa and Discover. Payment plans can be arranged for extensive treatment plans.

We make every effort to keep down the cost of dental care. If your child’s treatment program requires several visits, you will be given a written treatment plan outlining the proposed treatment for your child and our fees associated with that treatment. You may discuss definite financial arrangements with our office business staff. Please be aware that the parent bringing the child to our office is legally responsible for payment of all charges. We cannot send statements to other persons. Please understand that financial arrangements are made directly with you.

For separated or divorced parents, the parent who brings the child to the office is responsible for payment of fees charged for that child’s care. If another agrees to payment responsibility, that person must provide an notarized acknowledgment in writing of their desire to pay for care. It is the responsibility of the person bringing the child to the office to obtain a written agreement and to inform the other person of care being provided.

Please make sure our office business staff is made aware of any insurance change. The accuracy of all information on these forms helps prompt processing by insurance companies. Any balance remaining will be due at the time a statement is presented by our office.

Your understanding and cooperation with this matter is greatly appreciated. You are helping to keep our overhead expenses, in the form of direct and labor costs, down. In addition, you are helping keep your fees as low as possible. If you have any questions please feel free to ask our business office staff.

The Pediatric Dental office is participating providers with the following insurance companies:

• Delta Dental (Premier)
• CIGNA (Radius)
• Dental Health Centers
• Wellpoint (Dental Blue Plan)
• Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program
• Aetna PPO

Please remember that we are a third party to your insurance company.
We can not be responsible for keeping up with the ever changing policies of each individual insurance plan.

If we have received 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 will be responsible for any deductibles, co-payments, or balances not covered by insurance. By law your insurance company is required to pay each claim within 30 days of receipt. We file all insurance promptly, so your insurance company will receive each claim within days of the treatment. You are responsible for any balance on your account after 30 days, whether insurance has paid or not. We will be glad to send a refund to you if your insurance pays us.

Please understand that we file dental claims as a courtesy to our patients. Claims are filed promptly to expedite communication with your insurance company. So, it is important for you to keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, insurance company address, or a change of employment. Filing your insurance is not a guarantee of payment for the service(s) performed. We have no way of knowing if, or what, your insurance company will pay until the actual claim is submitted. Therefore, all account balances which have not been paid are the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Our office bases treatment on your child's needs, not what your insurance will pay. Insurance payments are determined by the benefit package that your employer purchased.

We will make every effort to assure you receive maximum benefits. We will file your insurance at no charge. In order to provide this service, we ask that you please keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, insurance company address, or a change of employment before each appointment.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions about our financial policy. We want you to be comfortable in dealing with these matters. If you have any questions regarding your insurance, we ask that you contact your company regarding the specifics and details of your plan.
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Treatment fees vary depending on the severity of the problem, the difficulty of the treatment, and the time necessary to complete the treatment. Many options are available for making this investment affordable. We will work with you to fit your individual needs.

• Monthly Payment Plans with No Interest: If you prefer, you may make monthly payments after making the initial down payment.
• Payment in Full: If you make a payment in full at the start of treatment, we will extend a bookkeeping fee reduction.
• Our office accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover: For your convenience, our office can arrange for monthly payments to be automatically applied to your credit card each month.

If you have insurance that covers orthodontic treatment, our office will help you determine your insurance benefits. If your insurance covers orthodontic treatment, you will receive the benefit of reduced personal costs. Many insurance policies have a lifetime orthodontic benefit that is distinct from regular dental insurance. Once treatment has started, we will file your claims.

Please remember that orthodontic insurance is a benefit for you or your child. If, during the course of treatment, your benefits change, the financially responsible party is accountable for all charges.

Dr. Sheer is a participating provider with the following insurance companies:

FACT 1 - DENTAL INSURANCE IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN YOU, YOUR EMPLOYER AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY. We are not a party to that contract.

FACT 2 - DENTAL INSURANCE IS NOT MEANT TO COVER ALL FEES. It is meant to be an aid to your investment in your child’s dental healthcare. Many routine dental services are not covered by dental insurance.

FACT 3 - NO INSURANCE PAYS 100% OF ALL PROCEDURES - Many patients think that their insurance pays 90%-100% of all dental fees. This is not true! Most plans only pay between 50%-80% of the average total fee. Some pay more, some pay less. The percentage paid is usually 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.

FACT 4 - FREQUENCIES & LIMITATIONS OF BENEFITS - The frequency of payment for some procedures may be limited by an insurance company. This is most often encountered in a pediatric dental office with fluoride treatments. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend the application of fluoride every 6 months since it is proven to be highly effective against tooth decay. Our office follows those recommendations in order to achieve optimal oral health for your child. Therefore, if an insurance plan limits the frequency of the fluoride treatment, the parent will be responsible for this cost. This can also be encountered with other procedures, such as x-rays and sealants.

FACT 5 - BENEFITS ARE NOT DETERMINED BY OUR OFFICE - You may have noticed that sometimes your dental insurer reimburses you or the dentist at a lower rate than the dentist's actual fee. Frequently, insurance companies state that the reimbursement was reduced because your dentist's fee has exceeded the usual, customary, or reasonable fee ("UCR") they consider allowable. These allowable fees may vary widely, because each company collects fee information from claims it processes. The insurance company then takes this data and arbitrarily chooses a level they call the "allowable" UCR Fee. Frequently, this data can be three to five years old and these "allowable" fees are set by the insurance company so they can make a net 20%-30% profit.

Unfortunately, insurance companies imply that your dentist is "overcharging", rather than say that they are "underpaying", or that their benefits are low. In general, the less expensive insurance policy will use a lower usual, customary, or reasonable (UCR) figure.

FACT 6 - DEDUCTIBLES & CO-PAYMENTS MUST BE CONSIDERED - When estimating dental benefits, deductibles and percentages must be considered. To illustrate, assume the fee for service is $150.00. Assuming that the insurance company allows $150.00 as its usual and customary (UCR) fee, we can figure out what benefits will be paid. First a deductible (paid by you), on average $50, is subtracted, leaving $100.00. The plan then pays 80% for this particular procedure. The insurance company will then pay 80% of $100.00, or $80.00. Out of a $150.00 fee they will pay an estimated $80.00 leaving a remaining portion of $70.00 (to be paid by the patient). Of course, if the UCR is less than $150.00 or your plan pays only at 50% then the insurance benefits will also be significantly less.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, please keep us informed of any insurance changes such as policy name, insurance company address, or a change of employment.

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