ask mackenzie - your orthodontic insurance and
benefits resource
I have to admit, I am an orthodontic newbie. I never had braces as a child and I am concerned about what to expect at my son’s first appointment. Will it be uncomfortable? -H. J.
You are not the first worried parent I have advised on just this matter. First and foremost, neither you nor your child should feel uncomfortable. Our first order of business is to obtain a medical history. After this has been completed, we will take photographs of your son’s face and teeth. Since we take photos from all angles, this may feel awkward, but will not hurt your son.
Next we take a complimentary panorex x-ray. This is done digitally so the image is ready for evaluation immediately. The photographs and x-ray aid Dr. Lynskey in diagnosing your son’s malocclusion. “Malocclusion” is just a fancy way to say bite problem. After a short video, Dr. Lynskey will discuss your concerns and review the photographs and x-rays with you. She will then let you know whether your son needs orthodontic treatment and if so what might be necessary in order to correct the problem areas.
Dr. Lynskey allows half an hour to speak with you one-on-one to ensure that you both feel comfortable with your son’s future treatment. During this time she will use videos and models to help you understand how treatment will proceed. Dr. Lynskey will educate you and your son on the importance of excellent oral hygiene during treatment and some measures our office takes to help motivate him to follow through on this very important aspect of the initial consultation.
You will also receive a financial estimate for treatment, including what benefits your insurance company might cover. We do allow enough time at our consultations to get started, assuming Dr. Lynskey and your family dentist feels the time is appropriate. I f you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 707-525-1180 or contact me by email at mackenziem@stunningsmile.com.
I want to make sure my son doesn’t miss too much school while he has braces. Is there an easy way to ensure he is seen after school & before sports practice?
- K. W.
Excellent question! As a parent myself, I understand how important it is to stay on schedule and reduce school tardiness. Because orthodontic treatment requires periodic monitoring, some of the appointments may inevitably conflict with school or work schedules. In order to balance the need for regular appointments with the need to minimize missed school or work hours we have designed our schedule to accomplish the following goals:1) we strive to see each patient at the time of their scheduled appointment, with minimal time wasted in the reception room; 2)we work hard to craft a schedule that allows enough time to do the necessary adjustments, plan the next visit, discuss progress and answer your questions; 3) we schedule our appointments in 6-8 week intervals, with our busiest times after school.
Late arrivals can pose a problem, requiring rescheduling. Call ahead if you anticipate being late to make sure your trip is not wasted. Long appointments can be reduced by maintaining optimum oral hygiene and keeping your braces on your teeth. In order to accommodate as many people after school & work, we schedule these longer visits during off-peak hours: 10am-2:30pm. With all of that in mind, we offer our coveted evening and Saturday morning appointments for regular adjustments. If you need help scheduling appointments to fit your specific schedule, please do not hesitate to call me at 707-525-1180 or contact me by email at mackenziem@stunningsmile.com.
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Both myself and my wife have orthodontic coverage. How does dual insurance work for my daughter’s treatment? - A. S.
Insurance can be quite complex, especially when there are two plans covering your child. First we verify estimated insurance benefits for each parent. The primary insurance is determined by date of birth, and each insurance company is different in their determination. Once we have determined the primary and the secondary insurance benefits, we apply these to the account balance. Our office prefers to file all of the insurance paperwork to ensure it is complete and your benefits are maximized. This reduces your stress and allows you and your family to receive your care in a timely manner, without the hassle of insurance paperwork. If you have any other questions about automatic payment of your account, don’t hesitate to call me at 707-525-1180 or contact me by email at mackenziem@stunningsmile.com.
I’m a mother of 3 with a part-time job and a busy schedule. How can I make my children’s monthly orthodontic payment automatic?
There are a few ways to make your payments automatic. In fact the majority of our patients prefer to have their payments automatically withdrawn from either their checking or credit card account. One option is to authorize our office to withdraw the funds on a day specified by you (say the 1st or the 15th of the month). In this situation, you will not receive any statements and the payment will be made monthly without any effort on your part. We do not charge extra for this convenient service. Another option is to have your bank automatically pay your payment using your banks online bill paying service. Some banks do charge for this option so check with them before hand. Also, in order to avoid any late payment charges, have your bank issue the check at least 5 days prior to its due date. If you have any other questions about automatic payment of your account, don’t hesitate to call me at 707-525-1180 or contact me by email at mackenziem@stunningsmile.com.
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My husband recently changed jobs and insurance
companies. How will this effect my child’s insurance benefits?
If your child has not started orthodontic treatment, it’s no problem. Your new insurance company will be contacted and your new benefits verified. Any changes to your financial estimate will be reviewed with you prior to starting treatment. If your child is already in treatment, we will conduct an insurance benefit audit. Your previous benefits and your new coverage will be reviewed and any adjustments necessary will be made to your account. The biggest drawback is a lapse in coverage during this review, so please contact me at 707-525-1180 as soon as you know that your benefits are about to change.
My employer offers a flex-spending
account at my job. What is it, how can I use it towards orthodontic
for myself or my child?
A flex-spending account allows you to save pretaxed money
for healthcare expenses. Once you have established your
flex-spending account, we will directly bill it for your orthodontic
expenses. Any remaining money left in your flex-spending account
at the end of the calendar year will be lost. Therefore, to
maximize your benefits this calendar year, you should use any flex account
savings before December 31, otherwise it will be lost entirely.
Feel free to call me to help you get the most from your flex-spending
account.
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