We would love to have you and your family be part of our orthodontic practice!
Please call us at 760-434-SMILE to schedule your complimentary appointment.
Your First Appointment
The initial visit allows us to learn about you and your orthodontic needs. In our office, every effort is made to meet your needs in a timely and caring manner. Each individual’s condition is unique and deserves personalized attention. Please anticipate an hour for this first appointment. Parents are encouraged to be present during the initial exam for minors.
During the initial exam, you can expect the following:
- Review of your concerns and goals
- Review of your medical/dental history
- Photos and specialized orthodontic x-ray(s)
- Dr. Sionit or Dr. Taylor will then conduct a thorough examination.
This information is used to develop a custom treatment plan for each patient. The doctor will discuss the answers to the following questions:
- Is there an orthodontic problem?If so, what is it?
- Can it be corrected?
- When should it be corrected?
- How long will it take to correct it?
After the doctor has answered all questions, our treatment coordinator will explain the costs involved and possible payment options, and insurance benefits. In most cases, we can proceed with the necessary orthodontic records at the end of the consultation. Our treatment coordinator will help you make a follow-up visit to begin the process.
Regular Appointments
How do I fit orthodontics into my busy schedule?
Most patients have other important obligations during the day, including work and school. We respect your time and do everything in our power to keep your appointments as convenient as possible for you. To achieve this, we ask that the few long appointments that are needed during the course of your treatment are done during school and work hours. This gives the doctor more time to devote just to you and your treatment. This also allows us to keep the hours outside work and school open for the more frequent, shorter appointments.
Longer visits usually include three construction visits. First, when the braces are placed in the beginning of treatment, later, when the bracket placement is fine-tuned during the middle of treatment and lastly, when the braces are removed at the end of treatment. These are typically 1-2 hour appointments.
Most appointments are much shorter, typically 20-30 minutes. For the majority of your appointments you’ll see us at regular intervals 4 to 8 weeks apart for an adjustment. During your treatment there are times when the adjustments are completed quickly even though they may be quite technical.
We make every effort to be on time for our patients and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us as soon as possible. We request a 48 hour notice on rescheduling. Cancel only if it is an emergency. It may be difficult to reschedule you since most appointments are made 4 to 8 weeks in advance; as a result, most rescheduled or missed appointments need to be scheduled during school or work hours. Our goal in scheduling appointments is to keep your treatment progressing and on time.
Financial Considerations
The fees for treatment vary considerably and are based on the type of treatment and severity of the problem. After your initial examination, you will be given an estimate of the fee for the proposed orthodontic treatment. The fee covers all aspects of the proposed treatment done in our office. The only exceptions are for lost or broken removable appliances and procedures associated with the treatment but done in other offices (such as extractions and fillings.)
Although we understand finances can be a concern for treatment, we do not want it to stand in the way of our achieving the smile and orthodontic care you deserve. Our treatment coordinator will work with you to design a payment plan around your needs and will assist in explaining any insurance coverage you may have. We offer a discount for payment in full. And for those who would like a more flexible arrangement, we offer 0% in-house financing. You’ll find our team eager to arrange a plan that fits your needs.
Insurance
Carlsbad Village Orthodontics accepts most insurances and Health Savings Plans (HSP). We arean In-Network/Preferred Provider for most orthodontic insurance plans so you can make the most of your insurance benefits. If you have insurance, we will help you to verify the coverage you have available.
Dental insurance plans vary in the amount of orthodontic benefits which they provide.Orthodontic insurance generally differs from regular dental insurance in that each insured individual usually has a lifetime maximum benefit for orthodontic services. Most insurance companies only pay a portion of the orthodontic fee. This benefit is paid as a percentage of the orthodontic fee until the benefit maximum has been reached.
For your convenience, we will directly bill your insurance company for you and we will also accept assignment of insurance benefits. However, please be aware that our primary financial relationship is with our patients or their families and not with their respective insurance companies. Financial arrangements can be made based on your estimated insurance benefit; however, any outstanding insurance claims not paid are the responsibility of the patient or the patient’s family.We will help in every way we can in filing your claim and handling insurance questions from our office on your behalf. If you have any questions about your coverage, please do not hesitate to call.