| 1. Practitioner style. | | | | reimbursement.) |
| Do you prefer a dentist who is friendly and concerned, | | | | Keep in mind that insurance coverage varies |
| asking about your comfort at every step, or do you | | | | enormously. Insurance companies often change their |
| prefer a brisk practitioner who proceeds on the | | | | policies about repayment rates, co-payment amounts, |
| assumption that if you're uncomfortable you'll express | | | | scheduling, and the like. Practitioners also feel little duty |
| that? | | | | to remain "loyal" to plans that themselves have no |
| 2. Appointment availability. | | | | loyalty. It isn't unusual for a dentist to start out working |
| Are you restricted to certain days of the week or | | | | with many insurers and then, years later, begin |
| certain times of the day when scheduling | | | | weeding out the more difficult payers, or simply |
| appointments? Can the dentist adapt your schedule? | | | | dropping coverage altogether. Therefore, searching for |
| 3. Office location. | | | | a dentist based mainly on insurance coverage is not |
| Is the practitioner's office conveniently near where you | | | | recommended. |
| live or work, or will you have to go out of your way to | | | | You should also ask about alternative payment |
| get there? | | | | methods. Many dentists still follow the traditional policy |
| 4. Appointment reliability. | | | | of wanting payment in full at the end of each visit. In |
| Some dentists adhere to schedules more than others. | | | | fact, many dentists today are choosing to switch from |
| Some even schedule several patients for the same | | | | insurance-based practices to a fee-for-service system |
| time slot. Can you afford to wait half an hour, or would | | | | to regain control over treatment processes and patient |
| that be a problem for you? | | | | care. |
| 5. Expertise. | | | | More and more dentists offer flexible payment policies, |
| If you have particular procedures in mind, such as | | | | even for more complicated procedures. Ask whether |
| cosmetic dentistry or implant tooth replacement, does | | | | the office can work out a monthly payment schedule |
| the practitioner have satisfactory experience in that | | | | rather than up-front payment. Some offices accept |
| specialty? How many years has he or she been | | | | credit cards, too. Your dentist should not make you |
| treating patients with this specialized care? | | | | feel in any way embarrassed for asking questions |
| 6. Financial considerations. | | | | about the fee or payment policies. When |
| Money is the first thing that many patients and | | | | recommending any treatment plan your dentist should |
| practitioners want to discuss. | | | | be willing to specify fee structure and schedules (and |
| 7. Insurance plan coverage. | | | | be willing to put it in writing.) |
| You should have no difficulty learning from the dentist's | | | | 8. Warranties. |
| office staff whether they accept your insurance plan. | | | | Few dentists guarantee their work for a specified time |
| Keep in mind, however, that many plans provide only | | | | period, so a practitioner who offers an estimated time |
| partial coverage for many procedures, and may limit | | | | period, and refuses to put the guarantee in writing, is |
| the frequency of procedures that are covered in full. | | | | not necessarily inferior. However, a dentist who does |
| For instance, your plan might pay for two cleanings a | | | | stand behind his work is undoubtedly confident of its |
| year but your dentist may recommend three. | | | | lasting quality. That is a good sign, though the patient |
| It isn't enough to learn only whether your plan covers a | | | | should also understand that much dental work is |
| particular practitioner. You will also need to ask | | | | time-limited. Your dentist should alert you to the life |
| whether the office wants full payment up-front or | | | | span of the treatment made and what he or she |
| accepts a co-payment and handles its own | | | | recommends if the work needs to be redone at some |
| reimbursement. (If it doesn't, you are expected to pay | | | | later date, as it often does. |
| the full amount, then file paperwork yourself to receive | | | | |