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Cayuga Family Dental | FAQ
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FAQ

General

1. Do I need an appointment to see the dentist?

Although we are sometimes able to accommodate walk-ins, we recommend that you make an appointment. This will ensure that a block of time is specifically allocated to you and you get the complete attention of the dentist and dental staff.

2. I am having a dental emergency. What should I do?

If you are having a life threatening dental emergency, please go to your closest Emergency Room without delay. If it is not, then you can our Office at 607 257 6600 and leave a message and you will be called as soon as possible. Our answering system also provides instructions on how to reach the Dentist but this privilege is only for established patients. If you are not a patient yet, you can leave a message on our answering system and we will call you back as quickly as possible.

3. What services do you provide?

We provide cleanings, checkups, X-Rays, Fillings, Crowns, Bridges, Veneers, Root Canals, Extractions, Dentures, Teeth Whitening, Night Guards, Sleep Apnea Appliances and many other services. Please call us if this list does not include what you are looking for. Some root canals and extractions are referred to specialists when the dentist determines that these are best performed by a specialist.

4. Do you make appointments for me at the specialists office?

We will gladly provide you with a referral and any other documentation you need but our office does not make your appointments. You will have to make your own appointments.

5. How can I get a copy of my records?

Please contact our office at 607 257 6600 and you will be advised on how you can get a copy of your records in a HIPAA compliant way. A small fee is charged to cover the cost of duplication.

6. I am very afraid of going to the dentist. What should I expect?

We get a lot of patients who have had bad or traumatic experiences in the past and who are very scared. After a few visits they completely lose that fear. We are extremely gentle and take our time. Most of our patients come from word of mouth referrals, so you are probably already aware of that.

As a matter of fact, long after patients leave this area they continue to come back to get their dental care at our Office. We have patients coming from Buffalo, from Delaware, from Europe. Besides Tompkins County, we routinely see patients from Elmira, Binghamton, Cortland and Auburn.

7. Do you see children?

Yes we do see children. Usually we will start seeing children between the ages of 3 and 5. If your child is having an issue, we may see them even if the child is younger than that.

Financial

1. Do you accept insurance?

Yes we do. We work with all insurance companies and for many we are in-network providers. If your insurance accepts assignment of benefits, you will only have to pay your copay and/or coinsurance and we will bill your insurance and collect payment from them. This reduces or eliminates the need for having readily available funds before getting dental care.

2. Should I bring money to my first appointment?

You should always bring a form of payment to all your appointments including your first appointment.

3. Why is dental care so expensive?

Dentists have to maintain a lot of equipment, staff, dental supplies and ensure that all safety regulations are being met. In addition there are costs associated with dental labs, continuing education, and constant upgrade of facilities. We are very sensitive to this issue, so we will work with you maximize any insurance or flex benefits that may be available to you. In some cases non urgent dental work can be structured to maximize benefits available to you.

4. Will I get a big bill after my dental visit?

Our practice works very hard to obtain the benefits available to you from your insurance company and maintain this information. Before we do any dental work, we will inform you of your financial responsibility for the proposed work. To eliminate surprises, please inform us at least one day before your visit if your coverage has changed or if you have had a visit at a specialist etc. This way we can track your benefits. Non urgent work can be spaced out so that previous dental claims have settled before more services are rendered. Although, we work very hard at this issue, you are finally responsible for any balance left after your insurance has been billed.

5. What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept Cash, Check, All credit cards and CareCredit.

Clinical

1. Do you make dentures?

Not only do we make dentures, we make very good dentures. Our dentures are fabricated by labs that specialize in dentures on equipment costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Unlike Chain Dentistry clinics, We do not believe in making dentures in on-site labs. The making of dentures goes through various stages and at each stage you will get to see the progress of your denture and get to approve it before it goes to the next stage.

2. Do you do sedation dentistry?

We can prescribe you medicine to take before your visit to alleviate anxiety, but we do not offer sedation dentistry.

3. Do you provide Cosmetic procedures?

Yes we do. Dr. Gupta is especially interested in Aesthetic Dentistry and you can look much better and younger and smile once again with full confidence.

4. What Sleep Apnea treatment do you offer?

We fabricate the TAP III classic appliance as we consider this to be an effective appliance.