• How can I safely whiten my teeth?
• I want my front teeth to look better but I don't want to wear braces. What would you recommend?
• What is Smile Design?
• What should I do if I have an emergency when the office is closed?
• I really don't like visiting the dentist. Is there anything you can do to help me relax?
• What makes you different from other dental practices I can visit?
• Do you accept my insurance plan?
• What payment options do you provide?
• How does the doctor keep up to date on all of the current techniques and materials?
• I brush every day but my breath still isn't fresh. Is there anything I can do?

How can I safely whiten my teeth?

We offer 2 types of procedures to help whiten your smile. The first is called Zoom, an in-office procedure that takes about 1½ hours. In this short period of time, you can safely and comfortably achieve results from 6-10 shades whiter. The second method can be done at home and uses whitening trays (1 ½ hours daily) to whiten and brighten your smile in a few weeks. The take home method offers you the comfort and convenience of being in your own home during treatment.

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I want my front teeth to look better but I don't want to wear braces. What would you recommend?

We can change the way you smile in a single visit using either bonding or porcelain veneers. We also offer the invisible braces technology.

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What is Smile Design?

Smile Design is a process by which Dr. Dickson can help you see what your re-designed smile will look like, before actually ever touching your teeth. By using the latest in digital imaging, photography, study models, and before-and-after pictures, Dr. Dickson can assist you in choosing a new life-changing smile.

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What should I do if I have an emergency when the office is closed?

In case of a dental emergency, we offer a 24-hour dental emergency service. When you call our number, follow the touch tone options and the doctor will be paged immediately.

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I really don't like visiting the dentist. Is there anything you can do to help me relax?

While no one really likes going to the dentist, our practice is dedicated to making your comfort and convenience a top priority. We are pleased to offer the following comfort measures for our patients:

• Patient education---includes cosmetic before and after case studies, literature on a variety of topics, and helpful information found on this website
• Sedation dentistry---oral sedation sleep dentistry
• Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas)
• Patient comfort measures---you can enjoy ceiling-mounted satellite TV, CD players, blankets/foot warmers, and soothing music
• Sterilization center---we utilize only state-of-the-art sanitation techniques

In addition, our caring and compassionate staff and our use of state-of-the-art technology will ensure your comfort and peace of mind.

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What makes you different from other dental practices I can visit?

What makes us different than any other dental practice is the way that we treat each of our patients. We are always interested in the extra things like heated neck pillows, satellite TV on the ceiling, radio headphones, heating and massaging dental chairs, as well as complimentary juice and coffee.

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Do you accept my insurance plan?

About Insurance

As a courtesy to all of our patients, we are happy to help you prepare and mail your insurance claim forms from our office. We can file most insurance claims electronically, which instantly expedites the reimbursement process. Please note that we do not accept assignment of benefits from the insurance company, therefore payment for your claims goes directly to the insured party.

There are several reasons why we do not accept assignment of benefits from insurance. We have found there is much confusion and delay in this process, which ultimately can damage the doctor/patient relationship. The importance of this relationship is paramount, and performing quality dentistry requires that it be protected. Another main reason is that our practice doesn't diagnose treatment based on what your insurance dictates, but rather on what your wants and needs are. Furthermore, from a business perspective, it often takes the insurance company several months to reimburse our practice. We find this inhibits our ability to maintain our standards of excellence. Additionally, our experience has been that insurance companies typically reimburse the insured much faster because you pay the premiums.

To make quality dentistry affordable, we have created many options for patients who choose treatment from this office. We can break your treatments down into smaller segments that are more financially manageable for you. This is easier to discuss and understand once we have completed a new patient examination.

If we can complete your dental treatment in stages without compromising your health, we will do this so you can achieve the maximum benefit from your dental insurance program.

Dental insurance is a wonderful employee benefit. If you are in need of dental services and fortunate enough to have a dental benefit plan, then it is to your advantage to utilize your plan to its maximum potential. Our office staff is knowledgeable about the operation of most dental plans and will help you by providing the paperwork you will need to file your claim.

Additionally, we would like to share some facts about dental insurance with you:

• You may receive a letter from your insurance company stating dental fees are higher than what is considered "usual and customary." An insurance company surveys a geographic area, finds the average fee, and then takes 90% of that fee and considers it "customary." Included in the fee survey are discount clinics, which bring down the average. Any doctor in private practice will have fees that are considered higher than average.
• Many plans tell their insured that they will be covered "up to 80% or even 100%" but do not clearly specify plan fee schedule allowance, annual maximum, or plan limitations. Insurance is an aid, not a PAY-ALL.
• Many dentists find that insurance companies will tell their insured that certain fees are above the "usual and customary" when, in fact, the insurance coverage is actually quite low.
• Insurance carriers do NOT cover many routine dental services. Please do not hesitate to ask us any questions about our office policies. We want you to be comfortable in dealing with these matters and we urge you to consult us if you have any questions regarding our services and/or fees.

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What payment options do you provide?

Financial Policy

To make quality dentistry affordable, we have created many options for patients who choose treatment from this office.

This topic is easier to discuss and understand once we have completed a new patient examination. Payment is due at the time of treatment. We gladly accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, checks and cash. For more extensive treatment plans we also offer Dental Fee Plan (DFP), a convenient, no money down, low monthly payment plan for dental treatments of $1,000 to $25,000. Offering DFP allows us to make the smile you've always wanted affordable.

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How does the doctor keep up to date on all of the current techniques and materials?

In an effort to stay in front of the latest advances and technologies in the dental field, Dr. Dickson attends continuing education seminars year round, while also staying active in many prestigious dental organizations.

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I brush every day but my breath still isn't fresh. Is there anything I can do?

We specialize in oral hygiene. We supplement our skills with a product line called Oxyfresh, the latest alcohol-free technology designed to freshen your breath. The BreathRx product line includes mouth rinse, toothpaste, a tongue scraper, and a tongue gel that adheres to the sulphites that cause bad breath.

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