Office Policies
How are appointments scheduled?
The office attempts to schedule appointments at your convenience and when time is available. Preschool children should be seen in the morning because they are fresher and we can work more slowly with the child for their comfort.
School children with a lot of work to be done should be seen in the morning for the same reason. Dental appointments are an excused absence. Missing school can be kept to a minimum when regular dental care is continued.
What do I do if I need to cancel an appointment?
Missed Appointment Policy:
At Kids Care Dental and Orthodontics, we pride ourselves on offering personalized care for each child, with appointment times specifically reserved for them. This commitment creates a bond of trust that ensures we are ready to serve your child, and they will be present for their scheduled treatment.
While we understand that emergencies sometimes arise. To be respectful of the needs of all patients we ask that if your child is unable to attend their next appointment, please call our office at least (24) hours in advance. Policy details:
• First No-Show or Late Cancellation: If an appointment is missed or canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice, it will be recorded in the patient’s file. We understand that unforeseen emergencies can occur, and there will be no fee for the first missed appointment.
• Subsequent No-Shows or Late Cancellations: For the second consecutive missed appointment, a $50.00 missed appointment fee will be charged.
• Family cancellations: If multiple siblings are scheduled for the same day the entire family misses a second consecutive appointment, the family will be charged a total of $50. The $50 fee will cover the entire family, and it will not apply to each individual family member.
If you have more questions, our staff is happy to speak with you about your account at any time. Please send an email to [email protected] or call our Billing Department at 916-570-1500
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping us provide the best possible care to all our patients. Your adherence to this policy allows us to efficiently manage our schedule and serve our community better.
Credit Card on File Policy
At Kids Care Dental & Orthodontics, we are committed to providing excellent patient experience. Thanks to valuable feedback from our patients, we’re thrilled to announce a new, convenient payment policy.
All patients are now required to securely store their credit, debit, or HSA (Health Savings Accounts) card on file.
By taking advantage of this new feature, you’ll enjoy the ease and convenience of streamlined payments, making it simpler than ever to manage your child’s dental care.
Securing your card on file will provide you with the convenience of making payments for the following reasons:
• Any co-payments, deductibles, and/or co-insurance not collected from you at your visit.
• Missed or canceled appointments without 24-hour notice (per our Missed Appointment Policy noted above).
• Any non-covered services and/or denial or services allocated to patient responsibility.
• Any insurance payments sent to the subscriber/patient instead of to our office.
• Any prior, current, and future outstanding balances over 30 days.
Process:
• You will be notified via our Pearly payment platform with an email and/or text that an outstanding balance will be charged to your credit card on file before your card is charged.
• Notification will be given for the opportunity to call or email with questions to avoid automatic payment. You may, at any time, provide alternative payment options prior to the automatic charge date.
• If no contact is made and/or payment is received, the credit card on file will be charged for any outstanding balance.
Join our growing community of patients who are enjoying the benefits of this new policy. It is all part of our commitment to making your experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. If you have any questions about this payment method, please read the following FAQs:
FAQ
Why are we making credit card on file a policy? By implementing this policy, we aim to enhance the overall patient experience, provide convenience for our patients, allowing for quick and easy transactions without the need to present a card at each visit and maintain the highest standards of financial security.
But I always pay my bills, why do I need to put a credit card on file? We appreciate that you always pay your bills on time. However, having a standard policy simplifies our office operations, helping us maintain high service standards and allocating resources for what matters most – excellent patient care.
What if I decline to have a credit card on file? We understand that you may have concerns about keeping a credit card on file. Our policy is aimed at ensuring a streamlined and efficient payment process. If you have specific concerns or questions, please call 916-570-1500. We are here to help and ensure you have a positive experience with our dental practice.
Do I need to sign the credit card on file authorization form? Yes, to participate in this program you must first sign the credit card on file authorization form. This ensures that we have your consent to securely store and process your payment information for any prior or future outstanding balances, providing a streamlined and efficient billing experience for all our patients.
How will I know how much you are going to charge me? We will provide you with a detailed statement outlining the services rendered and the associated costs. Additionally, we will give you 30 days for the opportunity to review and verify the amount before your card is charged. You will be notified via Pearly payment platform with an email and/or text that an outstanding balance will be charged to your card on file 48 hours before your card is charged. During this time, you will also have the option to provide alternative payment sources prior to the automatic charge date. Your transparency and understanding are important to us, and we are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way.
But wait, I’m nervous about leaving you my credit/debit card. We do not store your sensitive information credit, debit or HSA card information in our office. Your information is encrypted through our payment platform Stripe. Stripe follows all the Payment Cards Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) and is certified at the highest attainable level. Once we enter your information into the payment platform it is securely encrypted, and we do not have access to view or edit the information. Our team members are only able to see the last 4 digits of your card. You also may access, change, or request deletion of your credit card information at any time.
What is PCI-DSS? Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council offers robust and comprehensive standards to enhance payment card data security and reduce exposure to credit card fraud. PCI Data Security Standards (DSS) provides an actionable framework for developing a robust payment card data security process, including prevention, detection, and appropriate reaction to security incidents.
When do I give you my credit/debit card information? You must fill out a credit card on file authorization form. You will provide your payment information to the Kids Care Dental team members, and they will enter your information through our secure payment platform.
I have a Health Saving Account (HSA) Card. Can I keep my HSA card on file? Yes! You can keep your HSA card on file. However, we may require an additional card to be kept on file should the funds in your HSA account become insufficient.
What if I don’t have a credit card? We understand there are legitimate reasons and not all of our patients will have credit cards. We accept other forms of payment, including debit cards and HSAs. If these options do not work for you, please call 916-570-1500 to discuss payment plan options.
I have dual insurance and I’m covered at 100%, so I will never have a balance. Do I still need to give you a credit card on file? Even with dual insurance, a patient often has some responsibility. Please keep in mind one of our Kids Care representatives will call you before charging your card, and you will not be charged if there are no outstanding balances.
What if there is a problem with my bill and I do not notice it until after the payment process? We hope that this does not happen. And although we love technology in this office, we review the accuracy of each claim processed by insurance. We will contact you if we find a problem. But, if you find a problem, call us and we will investigate it. If we owe you money, we will refund it promptly to the same card.
What if I have more questions? Our staff is happy to speak with you about your account at any time. Please send an email to [email protected] or call our Billing Dept. at 916-570-1500.
Notes:
• During the time you leave a credit card on file, if it expires or otherwise becomes uncollectible, we will call you to provide a new means of payment.
Do I stay with my child during the visit?
We invite you to stay with your child during treatment. We want every child to feel as comfortable as possible and sometimes having mom or dad nearby can be a great help. For the safety and privacy of all patients, other children who are not being treated should remain in the reception room with a supervising adult.
What about finances?
Payment for services is due at the time dental treatment is provided. Every effort will be made to provide a treatment plan which fits your timetable and budget and gives your child the best possible care. We accept cash, personal checks, debit cards and most major credit cards.
Learn more about our payment and financing options.