Office Procedure & Fees
Your First Visit
Your first appointment takes about 90 minutes. During this time we will review your health history, have you explain your concerns to us, give you a tour of our office and take a diagnostic x-ray and photographs. Then Dr. Pocock will perform a thorough orthodontic evaluation of the teeth, jaws, facial balance and smile. We will then give you a report on the following:
- If treatment is indicated, when is the best time to start?
- What different treatment options are available?
- Estimated length of treatment
- What financial arrangements are available?
- What commitments from patients we need for successful treatment
As a courtesy, there is no fee for the initial examination and diagnostic records. If you have dental insurance, we request that you contact your insurance provider(s) to determine if you have PLAN C coverage, what the percentage is and what is the life time maximum. This will ensure that you have all the information you need to make an informed decision regarding treatment. Ideally all decision makers should be present for this appointment.
Regular Appointments
The appointment when you get your appliances (braces, expanders, etc.) usually takes from one to two hours. You'll then see us at regular intervals 4 to 8 weeks apart for an adjustment that takes 15 to 30 minutes. Our regular office hours are Wednesday to Fridays 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Patients are seen by appointment only. We make every effort to be on time for our patients, and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately. Cancel only in an emergency. It is difficult to reschedule you since most of our appointments are made 4 to 8 weeks in advance.
While a growing number of our patients are adults, we still have the majority of our clientele being of school age. In order to be as fair as possible to everyone and to try and ensure that children miss the least amount of school, we organize our workdays in the following manner. Adjustment appointments are usually short and therefore are offered before and after school where possible. Longer appointments (of which there are far less) are arranged mostly during school hours.
Fees
The cost of treatment depends on the severity of the patient's problem. You will be able to discuss fees and payment options before treatment begins. We do not accept assignment from insurance companies but we will advise you with regard to insurance matters.
We have three payment options for you to chose from:
- If full payment is made at the onset of treatment we will offer a fee discount
- A down payment followed by monthly payments is offered with no interest, usually over 12 to 20 months.
- Outside financing for up to 60 months with interest.
For your convenience we accept post-dated cheques, Visa and Mastercard.