Can I still be a patient at your office?

Yes! We love our patients and would love to continue to provide your dental care. 

Will you still take my Delta Dental insurance?

Yes! We still accept your Dental Dental PPO plans. Delta will pay patients directly for your care at "out-of-network" fees, and the difference between the "out-of-network" fee and the procedure fee will be the patient's responsibility (co-pay). 

Why are you leaving Delta Dental network?

Delta Dental has not significantly raised our contracted fees in the last 18 years, and have actually reduced contracted rates of up to 46% on many of the common procedures patients need. (For example: one surface tooth colored filling is $223 but Delta only pays $144!)

In addition, Delta Dental has made it difficult for patients to get preauthorizations for major treatment and imposes a lot more restrictions on reimbursements. In order to stay in-network, dentists are forced to cut corners either by rushing procedures and/or by using lower quality materials. As such, Delta Dental  has made it impossible for us to maintain the standard and quality of care our office prides itself on providing. This is such a widespread issue that the California Dental Association has decided to take Delta Dental to court and sue! 

That said, you can remain a patient of ours and we will help secure the insurance benefits that you do have.  You will likely receive a letter from Delta Dental in the near future. In not so subtle language, this letter will recommend that you find another dentist. We hope that the experience you’ve had with us will encourage you to remain with our practice. Please know that we remain deeply committed to you and your oral health. We’re happy to answer any questions you have and look forward to your next visit! 

What changes can I expect as a patient?

We will be collecting the fee of service provided up front, unless you have already made prior financial arrangements. Our office will still send a claim on your behalf as a courtesy, and Delta Dental will send you a reimbursement check directly at the "out-of-network" rate. 

Do I have to pay upfront for treatment?

Unfortunately, unique to “out-of-network” Delta providers, yes.  No other dental insurance provider requires such an arrangement after termination of a contract. Delta has devised this policy to discourage providers from leaving their network by making it more difficult for patients to afford treatment with their preferred providers, and pushing patients to switch to an “in-network” dentist. 

The biggest change our patients will see is that Delta will no longer assign patient benefits directly to our office. This means that all Delta patients are required by Delta to pay the balance of their appointment up front. After we process and submit a claim on the day of the appointment, Delta will send reimbursement directly to the subscriber’s address on file, usually in 2-3 weeks.

I am in the middle of my treatment. What happens now?

We will honor the fees that were quoted for your treatment until you finish treatment if we began treatment before the Delta drop date. 

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call, text, or email us! 

We are happy to answer any questions to help make this transition as smooth as possible!

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