Information for New Patients
Appointments Bibliography
Map
Services
Office Hours Glossary
& Definitions Doctors
Insurance Procedures
Employment Opportunities
Links Home
Search Our Site
Start Your Forms for your First Visit!
Here you can find information on:
What information to have ready when calling.
What to do when coming into our office for the first
time.
How we determine a course of action regarding your
dental care.
How we explain the overall treatment and costs.
How we process your information.
What to do if you have a dental EMERGENCY.
If you are calling the office to schedule your first
appointment with us, you should be aware of the following:
-
Tell our operator that you are a new patient and wish to make your first
appointment.
-
Any questions you have regarding dental work can be answered when you visit
us for your appointment. Our Operators do not have answers to questions
regarding dental treatments.
-
We have two (2) different office locations. One office is in Cerritos,
the other is one mile away in Lakewood. The operator will give you
directions upon request.
-
You have a choice between these two offices in most cases*.
-
You have a choice between over ten (10) possible general dentists*.
-
If you have a specific need or problem, try to have relevant information
or explanations ready so we may better place you with an appropriate dentist.
-
Our Appointment Scheduler can only book appointments two weeks or less
from the calling date. Click here to request
an appointment on-line.
-
Our office hours are 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Thursday;
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, on Friday. We are closed for lunch from 1:00
PM to 2:00 PM, everyday, and are closed on major holidays.
-
If you must cancel your appointment you must notify our offices at least
24 hours before the time your appointment was scheduled. Failure
to do so will result in a $25.00 charge for a broken appointment.
*existing patients, orthodontic, and pedodontic cases may be assigned to
a particular location and/or doctor.
If you are coming into one of our offices for a dental appointment for
the first time, you must:
-
Sign-in at the front desk. There will be a clipboard that says "New
Patient Sign-In." Please write your name (patient's name) in the
next blank line on the sheet.
-
Please have a seat in the waiting room while your paper work is prepared.
-
An Assistant will call you to fill out a New Patient Form (you may obtain
a form from a staff member when you sign-in, as well). This form
must be completed in-full, including employer, spouse, spouse's employer,
and insurance plan information, when applicable. Return this form
to a staff member at the front desk and have a seat in the waiting room.
-
If you have insurance and are not listed on one of our eligibility lists,
you may have to be verified though your insurance plan's Eligibility Verification
System, meaning yourself or (if possible) one of our administrators may have to place a telephone
call to verify your plan coverage.
-
After a new patient chart file is created and a room prepared, an Assistant
will call you to be seated in an examination room, where you will be examined
by one of our friendly dentists.
If you have an emergency because you are in extreme
pain or have a broken tooth or broken dental work, we can examine you without
an appointment in most cases, during our regular office
hours. You
may be required to fill out a New Patient Form before we can treat you,
however, and we are sorry if this causes any inconvenience.
In some instances, we may not be able to handle
your dental emergency, and you will be referred outside to a specialist.
The dental specialist will be more experienced in your specific emergency
treatment. Again, it is in the best interest of the patient to be
seen by a specialist if necessary in emergency situations. We apologize
for any inconvenience in this case.
If you have an extremely serious dental emergency
where you need immediate care, like in an automobile accident, you should
contact your medical doctor or physician first, call 911 if necessary or the
local emergency room.
When you are seated in the examination room and with
the dentist for the first time, it is helpful to establish a 'rapport'
with your new doctor.
-
Introduce yourselves and familiarize yourself with your surroundings.
There may be a Dental Assistant or Hygienist attending to you as well.
If you need something to make you feel more comfortable, like blankets
or reading materials, we will try to provide them for you.
-
Try to clearly and fully explain any dental problems at this time with
the dentist, as he will now begin to formulate a plan of action for your
examination.
-
The dentist will begin to examine your mouth, keeping in mind your comments,
and looking for any additional problem areas.
-
The dentist will "chart" his recommendations in your chart file, and begin
to talk with you about his findings. The dentist's recommendations
are professional opinions, and are not biased or predetermined.
-
After talking with the dentist, you must decide which treatments he has
recommended to proceed with. At Cerritos Dental Centers, we have
ways of helping clarify the decision making process for the patient.
When your initial examination is completed, you will
be asked to choose which dental procedures to begin. You will probably
have questions specific to each type of procedure the dentist recommends.
A Treatment Counselor will sit down and talk with
you in their office to help answer any additional questions you may have.
The Treatment Counselor will explain the steps involved in your proposed
treatment, go over the costs of these treatments, and explain any insurance
plan restrictions or patient co-payments associated with it. You
will receive a list of the procedures recommended by the examining dentist,
with the costs attached. In cases with insurance, the patient's co-payments
are attached. The patient can see how much work is to be prescribed
and how much it will cost. This allows you, the patient, to make
the choices responsibly.
In this way we can place greater assurances on the
quality of your dental care. With your procedural questions answered,
you are now better able to decide what should be done to your mouth.
Once you have agreed to allow us to perform dentistry
on you, you will be asked to sign a statement listing all the procedures
that you have agreed to be performed. This statement is called a
Treatment Plan, because this is a list of the treatments planned.
This is to verify in writing that you are aware of the procedures and costs
involved. By signing this statement you authorize us to begin with
the treatments on this statement. Do not sign this statement if you
are unsure of any information contained in the document you are signing!
We cannot begin treatment until the statement is signed, however.
When your initial examination is completed, you will
be asked to choose which dental procedures to begin. There are many
financial factors that can influence your decision, which may include the
following:
-
The cost of your dental work may be beyond your budget.
-
Your insurance plan may require a Co-Payment, meaning you are responsible
for a portion of the dental costs.
-
You may have used up your insurance benefits for the period or year, meaning
you may be responsible for the cost of the treatment.
-
Your insurance plan may not cover your particular treatment, meaning you
may be responsible for the treatment cost.
These and other things may make you want to wait to
perform certain dental procedures, but be aware that any problems that
exist regarding your teeth may worsen over time.
At Lakewood Cerritos Dental Centers, we understand these
considerations, so we have allowed our managers to offer Payment Plans
and Payment Options. These financing plans are designed to help you
pay for dental work through terms and monthly payments, spreading the cost
over a longer period. This is especially useful when purchasing braces
for your children, which are expensive.
Thank You for choosing
Lakewood Cerritos Dental Centers and we hope to see you soon!
Appointments Bibliography
Map
Services Office
Hours Glossary &
Definitions Doctors
Insurance Procedures
Employment Opportunities
Links Home
Search Our Site
Start Your Forms for your First Visit!
Copyright © 1999, 2007 Lakewood Cerritos Dental Centers. All rights
reserved.
Revised: August 06, 2007