Friday by appointment only

Mon. and Wed. 8-1 and 2-5

Tues. and Thur. 7-2

420 Fifth Avenue West, Suite 200

Hendersonville, NC 28739

It’s hard to imagine that 2008 is over and 2009 has begun! We have several things to update you about as we enter a new year.

We know that the economy has brought up some unexpected financial concerns for all of us. For that reason, we are freezing our fees for 2009. Regular cleanings, x-rays and check-ups are instrumental in helping us identify problems early before more serious issues arise. If we can catch decay or infections before you have pain our chances are much greater of finding an easier and less expensive solution to treat the problem. Our periodic examination includes a thorough oral cancer screening, at no additional fee. If you’re a little behind on your recall visits, no need to feel guilty, just give us a call at 693-3949 and we’ll get you back on schedule. A few dollars spent on preventing problems can save you thousands of dollars in treating them.

Many of you have questions about dental insurance. First, there is the issue of whether we are a participating provider in your plan. We do not participate in any plans because we prefer to maintain our relationship strictly with our patients, not with an insurance company. We will help you maximize your coverage, but we prefer that the insurance company reimburse you since it is your policy. Even though we are not in your network, you can still remain a patient and receive your coverage. It may be slightly less per procedure, but you will still have the same amount of coverage. The difference between medical insurance and dental insurance is that medical insurance helps the most when you have a long-term illness or serious injury. Dental insurance stops helping when you need more extensive or expensive treatment. In addition, a few patients have asked whether it is worth it to purchase insurance on their own. I have found that it would be better to just save the money you would spend for insurance in an account you can access when you need dental care. If you don’t need it, you get to keep it. Dental insurance companies don’t reimburse you for unused benefits.

We are fortunate to have such a great network of specialists in our small town. Because of this we are able to offer state of the art treatment to our patients right here at home. We participate with many other practices and their staff members, in the Seattle Study Club. It is a source of valuable, up-to-date continuing education. We are committed to keeping abreast of the best dentistry has to offer so that we can offer excellent care to you, our patients.

Again, we’d like to thank you for your continued loyalty to our office. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful group of patients and it’s our pleasure to serve you. We wish you a happy and healthy new year!