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Scheduling Arrangements To schedule an appointment please contact our office at (510) 656-6868. See our schedule of Office Hours. We believe that our patients are responsible and considerate of both their time and ours. Our office does make confirmation calls prior to a scheduled appointment. If however, you find this reminder to be disturbing during your busy day, please let us know as these calls are intended as a courtesy gesture. We appreciate a minimum of 24 hours notice for any appointment cancellations. With this minimum time allotment we may be able to allow another patient to fill the time set aside for you. There will be a $40.00 missed appointment fee charged in the event that 24 hours notice was not given, merely to help defray the overhead for valuable time lost. Parents need to know that the adult accompanying a child to the visit will be held responsible for any charges incurred. Should a custodial issue be of concern, please make arrangements with our staff ahead of time in order to prevent any problems. If you have an emergency need of dental assistance outside of regular office hours, please call our office at (510) 656-6868. You will be directed to dial "0" for the Operator, and will be able to speak with someone about your needs.

Payment Policies We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, ATM, Checks and of course, cash. Pay with case or check in full, in advance, for your treatment and receive a 5% discount off the total amount. Collecting money owed from insurance companies or patients takes a considerable amount of time and expense. We have found it easier and less costly when patients pay in advance. We can then pass the savings on to you. We work with two outside financial companies, Norwest & American General. They can allow you immediate access to credit for dental expenses. Should you choose to utilize this option, we will pay the interest, allowing you to finance free for a year.

Insurance We will be happy to help you maximize the benefits provided by your dental plan. If you wish, we will also help you file your insurance forms which will save you considerable time and trouble. We must apply a $30.00 fee, however, when claims have to be re-submitted due to insufficient information. Be sure to let us know of any changes! Your insurance will pay Mission Palm Dental or reimburse you for the expenses that they agree to pay. Please note that each insurance company has their own policy, and most only pay a percentage of the cost. Some companies pay at a "Usual and Customary" rate which is determined by them, and in reality has no bearing on the true rates charged. Please remember however, that the financial obligation for dental treatment is between you and this office and is not between us and the insurance company. Your co-payment and deductible is due at the time of service. If 60 days have passed from the date of service and no payment has been made by your insurance company, you are responsible for the entire balance. Any financial treatment plan prepared by our staff is an estimate based on our information of your dental insurance contract. You are however, responsible for the entire amount. Also, please keep in mind that dental insurance is not designed to pay the entire cost of treatment, but is intended to help cover a certain portion of the cost. A better term for dental insurance may be "dental assistance." If there is any way we can help you with your insurance, be it clarifying your benefits to expediting your claims, please ask any staff member. As always, it is our pleasure to serve you.