Insurance & Financing

Occasionally, patients are intimidated by the potential complications of insurance and financing for dental treatment and procedures. However, our staff is committed to your oral health and wellness. That’s why we offer our expertise in helping patients understand their dental insurance coverage as well as financing methods for additional costs.

We “take” and “accept” all PPO plans, meaning we will submit claims for all our patients. We are non-restrictive providers so we are not restricted to perform certain procedures. There may or may not be a co-pay depending on the type of plan that the employer purchased.

Every single one of our patients is unique and has different treatment goals and needs. Our office is able to diagnose and provide customized treatment for each individual patient by doing what we think is optimal to achieve a healthy, long-lasting smile.

Other Accepted Payment Methods

For procedures and treatments that are not covered entirely by your individual dental policy, our office accepts other payment methods. These include cash, debit card, major credit cards, and CareCredit®️, which is similar to a credit card to be used for healthcare costs.

Don’t be intimidated by insurance and financing for your oral health care needs. Our professional staff is here to help you navigate your insurance coverage and manage financing for treatments and procedures that require additional payment. Your oral health and wellness are important. For more information about insurance and financing, contact our dental care team!

In-House Membership Plan

Sometimes insurance and credit can be confusing for many of our patients, so we have created a Alvarez Dental membership plan that is easy to understand and that our patients love!

Costs:

Membership – $325/year

Each additional family member – $300/year

Children 12 yrs. & younger – $225/year

Included in the membership:

• 2 cleanings per year
• comprehensive exam
• all necessary x-rays
• oral cancer screening
• fluoride treatment
• all emergency exams

In addition, members receive a 15% discount on every single other dental treatment!

The membership plan is for Alvarez Dental only and cannot be transferred to other dental offices and cannot be combined with any other promotions.

Do you “take” my insurance?

The answer is probably! We will file all insurance claims on your behalf, no matter which insurance company you have!

We accept MEDICAID for both children (MCNA/DENTAQUEST <21) and adults (AETNA Better Health, Healthy Blue, AmeriHealth Caritas) as well as discount plans including Louisiana Dental Plan, Q-Dent, Ameriplan, Dental Directory Services (DDS) (Patriot Plan).

We also accept some MEDICARE Plans, including People’s Health (DINA DENTAL), AARP, and DentaQuest.

But here’s the most important part: did you know that most PPO dentists who “take” your dental insurance accept the exact same fee for service? The insurance company pays the doctor a set amount and the patient, when applicable, pays a set amount. That’s why it’s so important for you to select a dentist and a dental office that meets your personal needs. When you have insurance, you often pay the same price no matter which PPO office you select, so why not pick someone you trust in an office where you feel comfortable?

I have insurance…so why is there an out-of-pocket expense for my treatment?

Dental insurance generally offsets the cost of treatment but doesn’t pay for it entirely. On average, dental insurance covers 80-100% of preventative (cleaning, exam and x-rays), up to 80% of restorative (minor fillings) and up to 50% of major work (crowns and bridges). We do our best to estimate your portion of the payment before you leave our office, but with literally hundreds of insurance companies and thousands of individual plans, it’s simply impossible for us to know all of them. That’s why it’s so important for you to know your plan and take charge of your health!

You told me I owe one amount, but now I have a bill for more. I thought my insurance was supposed to cover this. What happened?

We do our best to estimate your out-of-pocket cost before you leave our office. It’s always our goal to be as accurate as possible about what you owe for your visit. As much as we try to be experts on every person’s dental insurance, our real expertise is dentistry! Please remember that each insurance company has dozens of plans that an employer can purchase for an employee. We encourage all patients to be advocates of their own health. But rest assured that we will do everything in our power to make sure you get the full benefit owed to you by your insurance company.

Here are a few reasons why you may have received a bill:

• Your insurance plan paid a lower percentage than expected for the procedure.
• The treatment you needed was not covered by your plan.
• The insurance company decided you did not need a procedure that the doctor identified as necessary or downgraded a procedure code.
• You have not met your deductible.
• You have not reached the end of your plan’s waiting period and are ineligible for coverage.
• You’ve maxed out your plan (used up all your benefits on other procedures) and no longer have coverage until the plan resets next year.

Think about it like this. Pretend that your insurance card is like a debit card. If the procedure is covered, there’s money in the bank to pay for it. You wouldn’t spend money without knowing it’s there waiting on you in your checking account. Insurance is similar. If you know your plan, you will know whether the funds are there to pay for services.

But insurance can be really confusing. That’s where we come in. We will take the time to explain your benefits to you as best we can. It’s why we have so much information on our website. We want to educate you so that you can be empowered to take charge of your health and get the full benefit of the insurance you work hard to pay for.