How to Choose a Family and General Dentist in Duncan, OK: Part 2 -

If you need to find a family and general dentist in Duncan, OK, you’re in the right place. Last week, we covered 2 of the top 5 considerations that will help guide your decision-making process, so you can find a dentist who will please the whole family.

Here’s an overview of questions to ask when looking for a family and general dentist in Duncan, OK:

Are the support staff and dentist friendly, welcoming, and attentive to patient needs?
Is the office on a route you normally travel?
Does the dentist’s office accept your insurance?
Are all the services your family needs available?
Is after-hours emergency dentistry available for patients of record?

Now let’s dive into the last 3 questions and learn how you can determine the answers that best suit your family’s needs.

Does the dentist’s office accept your insurance?

There are a few different ways insurance can be “accepted.”

LOWEST OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE: First, a dentist can be a preferred provider, which means the insurance company pays the dentist a pre-arranged fee for specific services. If your dental plan is a PPO and you choose a preferred provider, your portion of the bill should be less than if you used an out-of-network dental practice.

HIGHER OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE: If the dentist you choose is not a preferred provider and you have a PPO, you can still see that dentist. You’ll pay a bit higher out-of-pocket expense, but if your family receives compassionate, gentle dental care and service, it will be worth the extra cost.

GREATEST OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE: If the dentist does not accept insurance, he is truly what we call a fee-for-service (FFS) provider. This means, you’ll pay all of the bill out of pocket at the time services are rendered. Whether you file your out-of-network insurance claim may be left up to you, unless the office files as a courtesy.

Dr. Bridges is in network with Health Choice and Delta Premier, and our office will file out-of-network claims, as well. We can estimate your out-of-pocket expense when we present your treatment plan. We also accept CareCredit and credit cards, so patients can afford high co-pays and deductibles.

Are all the services your family needs available?

This is an important consideration. Guaranteed, everyone in your family needs preventive checkups and cleanings. Few people avoid restorative care, like fillings and crowns, during a lifetime, so general dentistry services are also important. If you have little ones, be sure the dentist sees kids in your children’s age group. Some dentists do not serve kids under 8, while others only treat teenagers and adults.

If anyone in your family is nervous about visiting the dentist or has special needs, you may want a dental practice that offers nitrous oxide or sedation dentistry.

As a family and general dentist in Duncan, OK, Dr. Bridges provides all general, restorative, and prosthetic dental treatments. He also offers cosmetic dentistry, children’s dentistry, emergency dental care, and dental implants. All of our clinicians at Chisholm Trail Smile Center consistently provide a calming, attentive chairside manner, and we offer nitrous oxide to enhance patient comfort.

Is after-hours emergency dentistry available for patients of record?

What would you do if your dentist didn’t accept emergency appointments, and your child had a permanent tooth knocked out at a baseball game? You’d have to rely on Google to find an emergency dentist who would see a new patient, perhaps after office hours.

Families encounter dental emergencies, so it makes sense for parents to choose an emergency dentist like Dr. Matthew Bridges. For patients of record (current patients), Dr. Bridges is always available to see emergencies, even after the office closes. New patients, as well as patients of record, can call for same-day emergency appointments during office hours.