Appointment Scheduling Most people seeking orthodontic treatment have important obligations such as school or work during the day. During active orthodontic treatment, the patient is generally seen every 4 to 6 weeks, and some appointments will conflict with school. We have put a great deal of effort into designing our schedule, offering 7am-7pm appointments. It is our goal to see you on time for your appointment, and we want to have plenty of time during each appointment to do the necessary treatment, give you information about the treatment, and answer any questions. We want to work with you around your school and work hours as much as possible. Thus, we need both structure and flexibility in our schedule. We schedule longer appointments during the school hours and shorter appointments after school, which allows us to accommodate as many families as possible for after school appointments. Also, if you prefer to come during a quieter time, please schedule an appointment during school hours. Because the schedule is carefully crafted, your late arrival can pose a problem. In fairness to the other scheduled patients, we will probably reschedule you for another appointment. It may be possible for you to wait for an opening in the schedule. If we have to reschedule an after school appointment, it will need to be during school hours. It is not a good idea to delay the rescheduled appointment for a month so that you can have an after-school appointment, as the treatment will be adversely affected. We realize that, at times, circumstances beyond your control can cause a conflict with your scheduled appointment. An appointment that is not cancelled 24 hours in advance is considered a broken appointment. Broken appointments can lead to extended treatment and subsequent extended treatment fees. Orthodontic Insurance Benefits If you have insurance coverage for orthodontics, we will be happy to assist you in determining the amount of benefit available to you and your family. Eligibility Your dental plan may offer orthodontic coverage but have eligibility requirements. Some plans have age limits or there may be a waiting period for orthodontic coverage. Eligibility may change during the course of treatment. If the insured changes employers or if the employer changes the coverage, benefit payments may change or be discontinued. Benefit Payments Every insurance plan offers a different level of benefits. Orthodontic benefits are not the same as your general dental benefits. There is usually a lifetime maximum benefit, however some benefits renew yearly. Orthodontic benefits are rarely paid in one payment. Partial payments will be issued throughout the length of treatment until the maximum benefit has been paid or the estimated treatment time is complete. Assignment of Benefits We accept assignment of benefits for most insurance plans. This means that we will accept the benefit payments on behalf of the patient. By doing this, the family’s out-of-pocket expense is substantially lower. Filing orthodontic claims can be a burden for your family. If we do not accept assignment of benefits from your plan, we will be happy to file claims so that the insured can be reimbursed directly.