First Visit

Greetings from Dr. Chiang and staff!

We are always excited to have new patients in our office!  Although you are more than welcome to ask questions during your appointment, we thought it might be nice to provide you with some basic information about our practice ahead of time.

Services

Your first visit will include one of the following two exams:

Limited exam:  a problem focused exam which may require x-rays and/or other tests to complete the diagnosis.

Comprehensive exam:  a complete oral exam which includes a cleaning, panoramic x-ray, bitewing x-rays, and fluoride treatment.

Photos: we will take a picture of you for your electronic chart.  Dr. Chiang also likes to take pictures of your smile and views of the bite surfaces of your teeth to see how they change over time.  If you prefer not to have any photos taken, please let us know.

Treatment Plan: Once the doctor has reviewed your x-rays, he will discuss any further treatment that you may need and print up a treatment plan for you to take home. 

Payment

Payment is due in full at the time of service unless prior arrangements have been made.  We accept all major credit cards, checks, and cash as well as Care Credit.  If you have dental insurance, we will try to estimate how much your insurance will pay and collect any remaining estimated patient portion.

Insurance

Whenever possible, we try to help patients with their insurance by confirming the insurance ahead of time, submitting claims, and keeping a record of frequencies and maximums.  However, it is ultimately the patient’s responsibility to know what is covered under his or her insurance.  If we are unable to verify or are unfamiliar with your insurance plan, we may charge $50 at the time of your first appointment.  When we receive payment from your insurance, we will reimburse you for any over-payment. 

Cancellation Policy

Please reserve cancellations or changing appointments for times when it is absolutely necessary.  If you must change your appointment, we greatly appreciate at least 48 hours notice, especially for long procedures.  Be aware that we may charge a no-show fee of up to $50 per half hour for long procedures.

Scheduling Procedure Appointments

When scheduling procedure appointments lasting longer than two hours, we generally ask patients to pay a deposit ranging from $200-$400 depending on the services being scheduled.  If you are not prepared for this payment at the time of your visit, we gladly accept credit card payments over the phone.  The remaining estimated balance will be due on the day of your appointment.

Please assist us by providing the following information prior to your appointment:

  • Any x-rays taken by a previous dentist, if applicable. Please contact your dentist and ask if they can email x-rays to our office (panoramic x-rays less than 5 years old and bitewing x-rays less than 1 year old).
  • If you have dental insurance please provide the necessary information to our office at least one day prior to your appointment so we can attempt to verify your insurance coverage.

IMPORTANT: All patients under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Please alert the office if you have a medical condition that may be of concern prior to treatment (i.e., diabetes, high blood pressure, artificial heart valves and joints, rheumatic fever, etc.) or if you are currently taking any medication (i.e., heart medications, aspirin, anticoagulant therapy, etc.).