Helpful Information for Parents

What is the best time of day for my child to be seen?

Children under five seem to do better in the office if they’re seen in the morning, especially if they’re having fillings placed.

We prefer to see children who need longer procedures in the morning. This leaves time for patients who need shorter procedures to be seen in the afternoons when the school day is over.

We appreciate your arriving with your child on time so that we can spend all the time with your child that he or she deserves. If you cannot keep a scheduled appointment, please call 24 hours in advance so that we may reschedule your child at a convenient time, and so that we can offer this appointment time to another patient.

How do I prepare my child for the first dentist visit?

Tell your child that the dentist is a friendly doctor who will help keep his or her mouth and teeth healthy.

Other things to remember:
DO

• Try to make dental visits enjoyable for your child. Show your child that you’re not anxious about them, either.
• Let your child go into the treatment room alone, if this is what the dentist prefers.
• Set a good example by caring for your own teeth.

DON’T

• Bribe your child into going to the dentist.
• Let the child know that you feel any anxiety about going to the dentist.
• Let anyone tell your child scary stories about dental visits. If your child enjoys the first dental visit, future dental visits will be easier for the child.

How will you bill me for dental care?

First-time patients must pay in full at the first visit. We accept cash, check, VISA, and Master Card. We will submit claims to any insurance company and we’ll monitor those claims to ensure timely resolution of your financial arrangement. After the claim is settled, you’ll be reimbursed immediately for the amount covered by the insurance company, or you can use that refund as a credit to cover additional future dental work. For established patients, we appreciate your paying the estimated portion of the bill at the time of treatment. Dr. Streeby has also contracted with a dental credit card that has no annual fee. Our staff will be happy to help you apply.

We provide a 5% cash discount for parents who are without dental insurance. Our “Care to Share” program gives the person (and family) who refers a patient $20.00 off their next bill.

Web Resources

Here are a couple of links to great websites for parents.

• www.aapd.org
• www.ada.org