Answers to Your Most Pressing Dental Insurance Questions

You want to go to the dentist to get the healthcare you need. However, dental insurance and paying for your visits and treatments can be confusing topics. In advance of your appointment with Dr. Matthew Bridges in Duncan, OK, at Chisholm Trail Smile Center, why not read through our frequently asked questions about financing your general, cosmetic, and restorative dental services?

After you have looked over this page, feel free to call us to become a patient at our modern, comfortable, patient-centered practice.

1. Do I need to have dental insurance to become a dental patient?

At our practice, we do not require any patients to have dental insurance. This means you can set up an appointment with or without insurance. In some cases, patients have dental coverage for themselves but not for other family members. We can work with your individual situation to streamline the process of covering the cost of appointments.

2. What types of treatments will dental insurance cover?

Every dental insurance carrier has unique packages. Yours will usually offer a complete list of what types of services are entirely or partially covered. In some cases, you may not pay anything out of pocket for routine preventive care check-ups. Although our office team is happy to help you understand your responsibilities, you may also want to talk with your insurance provider. If you have dental insurance through your employer, your human resources representatives may also be able to give you insight on coverage limits.

3. Are cosmetic dentistry treatments covered by dental insurance?

This is a great question on a lot of patients’ minds. In most cases, cosmetic or elective dentistry treatments such as teeth whitening and porcelain veneers are not covered by dental insurance. Again, your insurance carrier may be different than most. For this reason, you should always check before making a decision.

4. How will I know what I am expected to pay for a treatment?

Our financial services team at Chisholm Trail Smile Center pay careful attention to detail, especially when it comes to letting patients know what treatments cost. If you ever have a question about an upcoming treatment, please contact us at (580) 255-4880.

5. How can I pay for treatments if I have limited or no dental insurance?

You do not need dental insurance to become a patient at our practice. We accept a variety of payment options, including cash, checks, and major credit cards. For more complex treatment programs, we can help you learn more about CareCreditⓇ, a third-party financing company. If you are accepted as a CareCredit customer, you can use the CareCredit card like a credit card specifically for healthcare services like visits to the dentist. CareCredit offers zero-percent financing, which patients appreciate. This allows you to extend your payments without incurring extra fees.

6. Is Dr. Bridges in or out of my dental insurance network?

Chisholm Trail Smile Center is considered “in network” for Health Choice and Delta Premier dental insurance plans. However, if you have a plan from a different provider, some or all of your treatment costs may be covered. When you call us to set up your first appointment with Dr. Bridges, tell us the name of your dental insurance provider. Our goal is to help you understand exactly what to expect in terms of covering fees associated with routine, restorative, and other dental services.

7. Is healthcare insurance the same thing as dental insurance?

Do you have healthcare insurance as part of your employee benefits package? Unless it specifically includes dental insurance, it will usually not cover dental procedures. The exception to this rule can be some dental treatments that fall under a provider’s definition of general healthcare necessities. We recommend contacting your healthcare insurance carrier in advance of setting up restorative treatments to see if they might be covered. We can also submit any paperwork to make the process easier.