Dentistry Blog

New Blog Format

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Dear Flossie Posse,

I have good news.  We are changing the blog format. See, what happened was that the Internet Marketing Company told us that the blog should be totally informational. They said we can't really talk about our office and what's going on around here because that would mean we were being "self promotional."  Blogs are supposed to be "informational."  But then, Dr. Johnson was watching the movie, Julie and Julia with his wife and he thought that Julie's blog was much more fun and interesting than ours.  Ours was pretty boring to write and therefore would have been EXTREMELY difficult to read were it not for the impeccable writing skills.  Getting the other team members to help me come up with topics was like pulling teeth.  (C'mon, corny is the new clever.) I had to agree with Dr. Johnson because all of the hours I worked on writing that blog, I dozed off a few times and whacked my head on my computer keyboard, leaving an imprint of the keys T, Y, G and H on my forehead.  So he gave me permission to write something that people might actually like to read. 

So, I am asking for some dentistry topics from our WAY smarter and funnier than average readers. It can be anything from how your smile changed your life to stories that start out with, "You know what is so gross..."  Believe it or not, we have a few of those and we look forward to sharing them with you in the future.  Don't worry, you'll get the same great content, but maybe not so tightly wrapped.

Ciao!

Kristine

PS Thanks for sticking with us during our uncharacteristically "boring phase" which I will now refer to as The Dark Ages. Don't ever let an Internet Marketing Company tell you how to write.  Have you ever read their blogs?  YAWN.

Johnson Dental Teams Up With 9News

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The 30th annual 9News Healthfair is April 18-26th this year.

Please come say hi to Molly, our hygienist, on Monday, April 20th at the Spirit of Christ Healthfair.

Spirit of Christ

7400 W 80th Ave
Arvada, CO 80003

(303) 422-9173

And Dr. Johnson will be at the Covenant Healthfair on Wednesday, April 22nd.

Covenant
9153 Yarrow St.
Westminster, CO 80021
(303) 424-4828

Dentophobia

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Fear of dentists is one of the most common causes for avoiding necessary dental care. Approximately eighty percent of the new patients that call our office express a fear of dentists or dentistry. Though phobias are by nature irrational, many dental fears are based in a past experiences such as a childhood trauma, a feeling of shame or being blamed for bad teeth or dental problems, fear of pain, fear of the unknown, fear of needles, some past dental horror story, fear of losing control. There are steps that can be taken to combat dental fears:

• Find a dentist you trust. This is the most important key in feeling comfortable at the dental office. Most dentists we know are genuinely kind people, but it is important that you feel a rapport with them as well. Someone your neighbor or husband loves may not be the right person for you.
• Explain your fear to the dentist. Most dentists and their teams genuinely want to help you and will provide you with all of the extra care you may need to feel comfortable. You can agree on a signal to use if you need a break during a procedure so that you are 100% in control at all times.
• Ask questions. One of the roots of fear is the unknown. So, if you have questions, be sure to ask them. Your dentist should be happy to answer any and all of your questions.
• Listen to music. We offer noise reducing headphones in our office and you are welcome to bring your own music device or borrow one of our CD players.
• Never be afraid to admit your fears. It will help us to take better care of you.

Do you have a dentist?

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Has it been 6 months since you moved?

Have you established a relationship with a dentist?

Our experience shows that it is best for patients to know a dentist and have an examination completed by choice, not because of pain. This helps patients to prevent dental emergencies and tooth loss. Often people move, time goes by and so does prevention. Call 303-422-8748 now to reserve your time.

Insurance Woes

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Has your insurance carrier told you that a necessary dental procedure is not covered by your dental insurance? Don’t feel alone! Many of our patients feel just the same as you do. Dental insurance has not progressed with technology and as advancements are being made in preventative care, dental insurance is still focused on paying for only problem-focused treatment. Dental insurance can be considered a “coupon” or discount, at best. But don’t worry! We have options to help fit necessary dental treatment into your budget. We also have informations on direct reimbursement, health savings accounts and interest-free financing. Come by or give us a call 303-422-8748.

What is Dental Insurance?

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What is Dental Insurance?

• Dental insurance is a contract between your employer and a dental insurance company. The benefits you receive are based on the terms of the contract that was negotiated between your employer and the dental insurance company. The coverage has nothing to do with what the patient needs or wants.
• The goal of most insurance companies is to provide only basic care for specific dental services. The services selected are based on the cost of the policy to your employer and the negotiated arrangements made with the insurance company.
• The benefits that you receive from the insurance company have nothing to do with achieving a high quality, complete result in your dental work.

Covered and Non-covered Services

• Dental services, which are needed or wanted, may not be covered by insurance. Our goal is to help you achieve and maintain optimal dental care, which is NOT the goal of the insurance company.
• There are dollar maximums set on dental insurance for each year. Once this limit is reached, no other services will be covered by the insurance company, regardless how essential the service may be to your dental health. Each year, if you do not use these available dollars, they are lost. You cannot accumulate dollars, from one year to another.
• Insurance companies also put limits on frequency of regular care (cleanings, x-rays, examinations, fluoride, etc.), and limits on restorative care
• These limits may NOT be in your best interest.
• Each policy puts various limits on frequency of restorations, crowns, partials and dentures. You will need to check with your insurance company for these specific limitations.
• Usually, cosmetic dentistry, implants, occlusion or bite adjustments, TMJ splints, and other services such as these, are not usually covered at all by insurance companies.
• We will not compromise your care based on restraints placed by an insurance company.

How Our Office Helps

• Our office will complete and submit dental insurance forms to the company to achieve the maximum reimbursement to which you are entitled. If payment is denied, for whatever reason, by the insurance company, it is the responsibility of the patient to make the payment.
• Some insurance companies take longer than others to issue payment. If necessary, our office will contact the insurance company directly, or ask for your help in dealing with your insurance company. They listen to you, the policy holder, more than us.
• Any time you have a question about dental insurance, please feel free to ask us.

Our Philosophy

• Our office remains dedicated to providing optimal care for every patient and working with you to achieve that goal, despite insurance limitations.
• We pride ourselves in continuing to provide high quality care to our patients.