You will be greeted in the reception area and taken on a tour of our office. Next, a digital X-ray will be taken to assist Dr. Bhatia with her diagnosis. A series of photos will be taken with our digital imaging system for viewing during your consultation.

During this complimentary initial visit, the following questions, as well as your specific questions, will be addressed:

• Is orthodontic treatment indicated? If so, is this the best time to start or is further growth and development needed?
• What are the treatment options and the benefits of orthodontic care?
• How long will treatment last and what changes are involved in having braces?
• What are the costs involved and what financial arrangements are available?

CUSTOMIZED CARE

Your personalized treatment plan will be presented visually on computer with our Consult Program, thus ensuring your understanding of the Doctor's recommendations.

If treatment is indicated at the initial visit, your first step to a healthier smile is the preparation of diagnostic records of the mouth. This consists of impressions as well as a complete set of x-rays and photographs. You'll even receive customized treatment information for family members who are unable to attend the first appointment. The compiled information enables Dr. Bhatia to carefully review the nature of your orthodontic concerns and develop a treatment program that addresses your specific needs.

Many of our patients have expressed an interest in proceeding with diagnostic records at their first appointment. If this is your feeling and you wish to save a additional office visit, let us know and we will gladly plan for preparation of records at your initial exam.

FEES

Cost of treatment is based on severity of the patient's problem, as well as the quality of care patients receive in our office. This will also be discussed at the consultation appointment prior to initiating any treatment, thus making the most of the valuable time you have set aside from your busy schedule to meet with us. Dr. Bhatia has set aside an hour for your visit with NO FEE for this initial consultation. So that we may continue offering this as a COURTESY visit, please contact the office at least 24 hours in advance should you need to reschedule.

INSURANCE

Insurance coverage will be confirmed upon arrival at the office to help you determine available benefits. Assignment of benefits to us is available in most instances, and we will bill your insurance company as a courtesy to you. We will help in every way we can in filing your claim and handling insurance questions from our office on your behalf.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

We offer three payment options (including a no-interest, monthly payment plan) designed to suit different budgets.

In an effort to keep orthodontic fees down while maintaining the highest level of professional care, we have established this financial policy:

• If payment is made in full at the onset of treatment, we offer a book keeping fee discount. (If you have insurance, we will offer a discount for payment of your portion of the fee that will not be covered by your insurance benefit.)
• For your convenience, we accept payment by VISA, Mastercard, and Discover.
• In cases of serious delinquency, treatment will be placed on a maintenance level, until financial arrangements are made. We will make every effort to accommodate patients with temporary difficulties.

REGULAR APPOINTMENTS

The appointment when you get your initial appliances (braces, expanders, etc.) usually takes 40 to 60 minutes. You will then see us at regular intervals 6 to 10 weeks apart for adjustments (which takes 20 to 40 minutes). We schedule longer appointments in the morning and shorter appointments after school. By doing this, we do not reserve an entire afternoon for one or two patients but rather accommodate as many families as possible for after-school appointments. If you prefer to come to the office during a quieter time, please schedule an appointment other than during school hours.

We make every effort to be on time for our patients and ask that you extend the same courtesy to us. If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify us immediately. It can be difficult to reschedule since appointments are made 6-8 weeks in advance.