OUR APPROACH TO HEALTH
AN INTRODUCTION FOR OUR NEW PATIENTS
KEVIN R. HALEY, D.D.S.
10325 N. La Canada Dr. Suite 181
Oro Valley, AZ85737
520-877-3234
Dear Friends,
Welcome to our office! We are very happy that you have chosen us to attend to your dental needs. If you have been referred to us by one of our patients, please let us know so that we may thank them for their confidence in us.
We wish to take this opportunity to introduce you to our practice so that you are familiar with our procedures right from the beginning.
Our entire practice is designed with you, the patient, in mind…delivering quality dental services in a comfortable, congenial environment. It is important that you become aware of how we accomplish this goal.
Philosophy…
This is a dental practice, but we are more than that. We are concerned about your total health! For example, we ask you to complete a very thorough health questionnaire and you will have your blood pressure and pulse rate taken.
Our practice is dedicated to the prevention and elimination of oral disease. Preventive dentistry is the cornerstone upon which this practice was founded and developed. We now have the knowledge to teach you how to prevent oral disease through modern home care techniques (brushing and flossing) and diet counseling.
If you need dental treatment, you’ll find that our modern techniques will eliminate your dental problems in a surprisingly comfortable fashion.
Your First Visit…
What can you expect during your first visit to our office?
- If you have a specific dental problem that is causing you pain or discomfort, we will attempt to alleviate your symptoms. All of our patients receive immediate care for urgent situations, no matter what time of day or night.
- If you are here for a routine examination, you will be greeted and interviewed by our hygienist who will discuss your health history and any concerns you may have.
- A full series of radiographs (x-rays) will be taken so that we can detect, or rule out, and problems that cannot be seen by the naked eye unless you can provide a recent series of x-rays.
- You will receive a thorough clinical evaluation by the doctor which will consist of examining:
- the soft tissues of your mouth and neck to screen for oral cancer, and other abnormalities,
- gingival (gums) health and possible periodontal disease,
- teeth for caries (decay) detection and malocclusion.
In most cases we will be able to complete our diagnosis on the first visit and give you our recommendations for treatment, fees, and number of visits. However, special cases may require more time and thought. In such situations, the doctor will discuss your diagnosis and treatment at a subsequent visit.
Good dental health depends upon two factors: good home care and regular periodic professional checkups. Once we get to know you and your mouth better, we can create a recall schedule to fit your particular needs.
We try hard to be punctual for our appointments, and ask the same consideration from you. If you must change, or cannot make an appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so that we may re-appoint you and schedule someone else into your time slot. We especially try to see our emergency patients as quickly as possible, so remember…if you cannot make a scheduled time, please let us know, so that your friend/fellow patient with a pressing problem can be seen more quickly. Failure to keep several scheduled appointments will result in a “broken appointment” fee; continued absences will result in dismissal from the practice.
If we are running a little late because of unforeseen complications, we ask your patience, and, please remember that you too will receive the same attention when your turn comes.
Our Staff…
There are a number of auxiliaries and support personnel who work here. Most of our staff will be involved in your treatment in one way or another. By working together in a TEAM approach, we can increase the thoroughness and efficiency of our treatment you will receive. The members of out TEAM are:
Dental Hygienist: Our dental hygienist has completed four years of a special college level course. She is a licensed professional whose responsibilities include:
- taking part in the initial examination and diagnosis,
- preliminary periodontal treatment from simple scaling and prophylaxis (cleaning) to more complicated scaling and root planning,
- educating our patients in preventive oral health measures,
- conducting periodic exams (checkups) to evaluate the patient’s oral health maintenance.
Dental Assistant: Our assistant has been specially trained at the college level to assist the doctor in patient treatment, and has earned the title of Certified Dental Assistant (CDA). Today, some of the procedures that dentists used to do can be safely and legally delegated to these “dental nurses” You will probably find our assistant more involved in your dental care than you are used to.
Support Staff: Our reception and business area has been set up for your convenience and is staffed by our Office Coordinator. She is available to discuss financial arrangements and insurance matters, and she will make all of your appointments.
The Physical Facilities…
This office took many years and countless hours of hard work to design. It houses the latest in dental technology and the most modern equipment available today. The treatment rooms are equipped to allow us to deliver dental care in the most efficient and comfortable way possible. It’s a pleasant place to be, and we all try our best to make your visit a stress-free and enjoyable experience.
What’s This All Mean…
By now you’re probably saying to yourself: “sounds good, nut jhow does all this benefit me?”
- In this practice you can expect to receive thorough, high quality dental care.
- You will be well informed about what treatment is necessary, the reasons, what results you can expect, and what it will cost you. We also invite your questions at any time, no matter how trivial you may think they are.
We Need Your Cooperation…
Up to this point, we have been telling you what we do for you, but dental treatment is a two-way street. Our efforts to eliminate and prevent oral disease in your mouth depend as much on your cooperation.
By cooperation we mean:
- Keeping appointments and coming on time,
- Informing us at least 49 hours in advance if you cannot keep your appointment,
- Carrying through on the home care instructions you will receive,
- Returning on a regular basis for your periodic exams…they are for your benefit and allow us to catch small problems before they become major and costly,
- Making definite payment arrangements and adhering to them.
Financial Arrangements Available…
- Fees for treatment are expected at the completion of each appointment. Cash, check, or Master Card is welcome. By paying at the desk you can help reduce your costs since we reduce our billing expenses.
- If we must send you a statement. A two dollar ($2.00) service charge will be added to your balance for each monthly statement mailed.
We try and keep our fees reasonable and feel that a “billing charge” of $2.00 per statement is a better method of keeping fees in line than raising them across-the-board to cover the consistently slow paying patient. Periodic fee increases are, unfortunately, unavoidable; however, prompt payment by our patients helps keep the number and amount of these increases to a minimum.
Statement privileges and budget accounts are available to patients who qualify.
Insurance…
We are happy to accept your insurance claim forms. It is your responsibility to provide us with the proper completed form, containing all the required information: Employment location, social security number, birth dates, signatures, etc. Remember…we provide the treatment to you, not the insurance company; hence, you are directly responsible to us for the payment of your dental treatment. Every insurance coverage is slightly different, so please don’t compare benefits with someone who works for another company.
We will try and do everything we can to obtain the maximum benefit for you, but please do not ask us to do anything fraudulent. Also, we reserve the right to refuse payment from certain insurance companies, based on our previous experiences with them.
Summary…
We seek to maintain a high quality practice, providing our patients with the best treatment at a fair, equitable fee. We wish our fee to reflect
the services which you have received, not postage, handling and bookkeeping fees.
We realize that occasionally unforeseen problems do arise, and we will always be happy to discuss them with you. If we send three statements without a response, the account is the automatically sent to our attorney for collection. We are not mind readers…if you have a problem please let us know. This is especially true of cases involving a large fee, and a long duration of treatment.
We hope that your experience with us is a positive one and that this is the beginning of a long and satisfying relationship. And, please remember…we are always happy to answer any questions you may have.
We are always searching for ways to serve you more quickly, efficiently, and satisfactorily. If you have any comments or recommendations…please, let us know! Remember…we are here to serve you, and appreciate any and all of your suggestions.
Once again…WELCOME!
Sincerely yours,
Kevin. R. Haley, D.D.S. and staff