Our office is committed to your treatment being successful. Please understand that payment of your bill is considered part of your treatment. Our office will bill your insurance company as a courtesy for you. However, your deductible and your estimated portion are due prior to treatment. Please remember no insurance company covers 100% of all dental costs. For your convenience, we accept cash, personal checks (return check fee $30), Visa® and MasterCard®. Payment is due at the time services are rendered.

If your child needs dental work, a treatment plan will be established and an estimated dollar amount will be determined according to your insurance benefits. This estimated portion will be required at each visit. Our office does not file secondary insurance. However, we can assist you with pre-treatment estimates for lengthy treatment plans.

If a parent requires that a detailed written pre-treatment estimate be sent to their dental insurance company, there is a $20.00 service fee payment required prior to the submission of the estimate.

Because some parents have inquired, let us offer an explanation about the order in which patients are called to the treatment area and why treatment time can be lengthy. We schedule patients’ visits by appointment in order to respect your time and to serve you most efficiently. However, there are several types of appointments scheduled simultaneously:

1. Treatment appointments for restorative procedures such as, crowns, fillings and extractions are scheduled with Dr. Ashcraft. Patients will need local anesthetic to numb their teeth and time is needed for these procedures.
2. “Brief” appointments for observation following an emergency surgery or other extensive treatment are scheduled with Dr. Ashcraft. These are very short appointments scheduled to fit between longer procedures.
3. Emergencies seen by Dr. Ashcraft are often unscheduled because a patient may have been injured, or be in pain.  We try to see these patients as soon as they arrive without inconveniencing other patients.  It may help to know that if your child ever has an emergency, he/she too would be worked into that day’s schedule.  However, emergency patients are “worked in” and may have to wait depending on the nature of the emergency. Treatment may or may not be done on the same day.
4. Hygiene appointments for cleanings, preventive instructions, and such, are scheduled with the certified dental assistant. After the preventive procedures, Dr. Ashcraft examines the patients and consults with the parent.
5. Appointments for sealants may be scheduled with the certified dental assistant, with Dr. Ashcraft seeing the patient prior to, and following the procedure.
6. Please note that when children are called to the back, a chair may not be immediately available and they have two game rooms to play in – one with video games and one with a TV.

Please note that while we welcome your concerns about your child when they are in the treatment rooms, front desk personnel can’t leave their workstation to check on your child. They will notify the next available assistant. Asking repeatedly about your child makes the procedures go much more slowly.

Thank you for selecting our office for your child’s dental care. Our practice continues to grow
primarily by word of mouth, and we appreciate the referrals to your family and friends.

NEW online forms are a time saver! Please complete the health history and new patient profile forms and bring them with you. This will save time, help us to better understand your child’s needs, and make your visit go more smoothly. Please fill them out neatly and with a black ballpoint pen. Please be very detailed concerning your child’s health history, medications or allergies.

Click the link below to download forms. Please make sure all areas are filled in completely and bring them with you on your first visit to our office. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer, please click the link below for the free download.

Click here to Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free).

Everyone is welcome here! We start seeing children upon eruption of their first tooth, which is the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s recommendation for your child’s first dental visit. Here are some tips to help prepare your child for their first visit:

Emphasize that good dental care is incredibly important. Tell your child that visiting the dentist will help keep their smile bright and cavity-free, and that it’s part of an overall strategy for a long and healthy life.

Be positive. Expect your child to have a pleasant experience.  Reassure your child that the dentist and their staff will explain every procedure and answer all their questions in advance, so they don’t have to worry.

Be careful about your choice of words. It is best if you refrain from using words around your child that might cause unnecessary fear. For example: “needle”, “pull”, “drill” and “hurt” are all words that have negative connotations. Our office makes a practice of using words that softly convey the same message, but are pleasant and will not frighten a child. If you need help explaining anything to your child prior to the appointment, please ask our team for suggestions on the most neutral language to use.