An explanation of why we do not participate with insurance companies and why that is good for you.
Your oral health is essential to your overall health, comfort and esthetics. It also plays an important role in how you feel about yourself, which in turn influences your interpersonal interactions. An attractive, healthy smile can help you become more outgoing and confident.
Dentistry is not only a medical science, it's also an art. The care, skill, experience, and judgment of your dentist has a huge impact on the quality of care you receive.
The pressure on dentistry today is to do things more cheaply. Many dentists have become part of insurance companies' programs in which the dentist agrees to the insurance companies' schedule of fees. Often, these fee schedules require a reduction of the original fees. Dentists agree to these reductions to attract more patients to their practice.
At first, a lower fee may sound good to consumers, but in most cases, it ultimately leads to a reduction in the quality of care they receive.
For example, if a dentist accepts a 20 percent reduction in a fee for a crown, then as a business owner, the dentist must economize to ensure a profit for the services rendered. There are many steps and materials involved in creating and placing a crown. A laboratory fee for a crown can range from less than one hundred dollars to several hundred dollars depending on the quality of lab technicians used. Many dentists will migrate towards using cheaper lab services, which results in decreased quality.
Additionally, cheaper bonding materials, crown build up materials, cements, and impression materials may be used to decrease overhead costs. Dentists may feel pressure to complete more procedures in a day to accommodate for lower fees. Lower quality materials and less time devoted to serving each patient results in lowered quality of care.
In dentistry, the smallest details make a huge difference in the function, comfort, longevity, and cosmetic appeal of a restoration (fillings, crowns, bridges, and more). Even the smallest gap between the border of a restoration and the natural tooth will trap decay-causing bacteria, which leads to the failure of a restoration. Unfortunately, patients are frequently unaware of the imperfections that will eventually cause problems.
Certainly, in some instances faster is better, but in disciplines like dentistry where details are so critical, faster often leads to a compromise in quality. A flawed restoration may last for a few years, but will fail much sooner than a restoration placed with the best materials by a careful and conscientious dentist. Ultimately, not only will you suffer the health consequences of these shortcuts, but you will spend more money and time by having the restoration replaced more often.
At Pear Tree Dentistry we only use the best quality materials and lab technicians and take the time needed to ensure your restorations are beautiful and of the highest quality.
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