Here at Dr. Poulsen's office, we strive to make payment for services as simple as possible. You may receive a 5 % discount for payment in full at time of service with cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. As a courtesy to our patients, we are happy to bill your dental insurance for you. Payment plans are available through American General Finance, upon approval for up to one year, interest free.

Dental Insurance - The Facts You Need to Know!

Before enrolling in or changing your dental plan, there are some important things to consider. Some plans require patients to select a dentist from a limited list of dentists. Selection from a list is not freedom of choice. If your dentist is not on such a list, there is probably a good reason. Don't hesitate to ask why he or she is not a participating dentist.

Dental plans typically are business arrangements between an insurance company and an employer. The plans are typically designed to pay only a portion of your dental expenses. However, dental plans may exclude or discourage certain treatments, such as dental sealants, which can prevent tooth decay and save you money later. Carefully read the plan and know its limitations. If a plan doesn't cover a procedure that is recommended by your dentist, that does not mean that the treatment is not needed.

Dental plans may use usual, customary and reasonable (UCR) fees to determine your dental benefits. The amount the insurance company determines to be "customary" fees may be very low compared to the area's average professional fee for the same services. The plans then generally pay a certain percentage of the UCR level. You may then be required to pay a greater portion of the treatment costs.

Consider the following before signing up with or changing a dental plan:

• Will you be losing your freedom to choose your dentist?