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