Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Care

Children should start visiting the dental office preferably when they are 1 year old. This will help them get comfortable with the office and the procedure.

People with different lifestyles need different visits to dentists. Some people need to visit the dentist once or twice a year, while others may need more visits. Every person is unique, with a unique smile and unique needs, when it comes to keeping your smile healthy. Talk to us about how often you need to schedule visits.

Brushing removes only some bacteria from your mouth. It is difficult for a brush to reach between the teeth effectively and get rid of food particles. These food particles can start to feed the bacteria. Flossing helps you clean the places in your mouth where your toothbrush can’t reach. Thus, it helps you get rid of the plaque which can gradually turn into tartar and cause cavities.

You need to make brushing fun to get kids excited about it. Children tend to follow their parents. If your kids see you excited about brushing your teeth, they will follow. An effective way to get children to start brushing is by taking them to the dentist at an early stage. It is important for all children to be examined by a dentist by their first birthday or 6 months after the eruption of the first tooth. It is also recommended that parents help their children brush their teeth up to 6 years of age.

The first step should be brushing your teeth for good two-three minutes, twice a day. Brushing helps you get rid of the sticky layer that the bacteria creates on your teeth. Avoid brushing too hard; put moderate pressure, enough to remove bacteria and plaque. Flossing is also important to remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth. Monitor your sugar intake. Sugar is the favourite food of the bacteria living in your mouth. It will help if you are mindful of the foods that stick to your teeth. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with plain or salted water after each meal. This will help to remove food particles from your mouth. And lastly, visit your dentist regularly to avoid any critical problems. Schedule a visit now.

Valley Dental Clinic accepts most approved insurance dental plans. And if required, we can also deal with the insurance companies directly. We accept all dental insurances, including provincial and federal government plans, if an assignment is allowed to the dental office. Read more here.

Although we maintain a computerized history of payments by a given company, the benefits do change. As such, it is not always possible for us to give you a guaranteed quote of insurance coverage. We estimate your portion based on the most up-to-date information we have, but it is ONLY AN ESTIMATE. If you would like to know your exact insurance benefit, we will be happy to file a “pre-treatment estimation” with your insurance company prior to treatment. This does delay treatment, but it will give you the exact out-of-pocket figures you may require.

We base the patient portion of your bill on our most current data, but there are many factors that can affect this estimate. There may be a deductible (individual or family), or you may have received treatment in another office prior to joining Main Street Dental, which is not calculated in our database. Sometimes you may need to see a specialist for care, which also draws on your annual benefit. Insurance companies do not, and cannot, notify us of changes to your benefits. THEY ONLY NOTIFY YOU. If any of these situations apply to you, please let us know when we estimate your treatment costs so we may adjust accordingly.

We bill your insurance as a courtesy. If your insurance does not pay within 90 days, Valley Dental reserves the right to request payment in full for services from you. You would subsequently be responsible for collecting the insurance funds that are due to you directly from your insurance company. This is rare, but it is important that you recognize that the insurance you have is a legal contract between YOU and YOUR insurance company. Our office is not, and cannot be a part of this legal contract. Ultimately, you are responsible for all charges incurred in our office.

Valley Dental does request payment in full for your portion of the treatment you receive at the time of service. If we are unable to obtain a coverage amount from your insurance company at the time of service, we require a payment of 25% of the total fee. We accept cash, MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Interac (Debit). For existing patients with an established credit history, we are willing to discuss other payment options if need be.

Since everyone’s situation is unique, it is best to contact us directly to discuss any financial concerns that you may have. By doing this, we can establish a treatment plan that addresses your dental needs while keeping in mind affordability concerns. This will allow us to work together to achieve all of your oral health goals!