Cost, insurance, and what it feels like
What it costs, and what it actually feels like
You get the fee, the treatment sequence, and your out-of-pocket estimate in writing before anything is scheduled. We are out of network with all dental plans, payment is due at the visit, and we file the claim as a courtesy so your plan can reimburse you directly. CareCredit financing is available, and a consultation is a consultation, it does not commit you to surgery.
Two questions stop most people from calling a periodontist: what will this cost, and will it hurt. Both are answered here so you do not have to ask them out loud first.
A consultation is not a commitment
Coming in for a consultation does not schedule surgery, and it does not obligate you to treatment. You leave with a diagnosis, the options including doing nothing, and the numbers in writing. What you do next is your decision, made at home, not in the chair.
How payment and insurance work here
We are out of network with all dental plans. That means our fee is paid at the visit, and we file the claim for you so your plan can reimburse you on its own schedule.
You get the fee in writing first
At the end of your consultation you receive the treatment sequence, the fee for each phase, and your estimated out-of-pocket in writing. Nothing is scheduled until you have looked at it.
We file your insurance as a courtesy
Our in-house insurance team files the claim electronically, includes the x-rays, charting, and narrative your plan needs, and follows up on claims that stall. You do not chase your insurer, we do.
Out of network does not mean you are on your own
Most PPO plans reimburse a portion of out-of-network periodontal and implant care. We tell you the expected reimbursement before you commit, and we prepare the claim so your plan has no reason to delay it.
CareCredit and payment plans
CareCredit is accepted for all treatment, including interest-free and extended plans subject to approval. Larger treatment such as full-arch implants is commonly financed this way, and the front desk can help you apply. We also take credit and debit cards, HSA and FSA cards, and checks.
Phasing treatment over time
When cost is the constraint, we say so and sequence the work. Stopping active disease comes first, rebuilding can follow later. We will tell you what is urgent and what can wait.
What it actually feels like
Nearly everyone arrives expecting worse than what happens. Here is the honest version, with no imagery to brace for.
During the procedure
Everything is done under local anesthesia, so the area is fully numb. Sedation is available for longer surgery and for anxious patients. You are not asked to be brave about it, tell us and we adjust.
How long you are in the chair
A consultation runs about an hour. Non-surgical treatment is usually one or two visits. Most surgical appointments are an hour to ninety minutes, and you are told the length before you book so you can plan your day.
The rest of that day
Expect numbness for a few hours, then soreness rather than pain, managed for most people with over-the-counter medication. You go home, not to a recovery room. Plan a quiet evening and soft food.
Getting back to normal
Most patients work the next day and return to exercise in about a week. Bone grafting and full-arch treatment involve a longer soft-food period, which is written into your plan before you agree to it, not sprung on you afterward.
If something worries you afterward
You get written post-operative instructions and an online post-op check-in, and (718) 643-1953 reaches a direct line to the doctor on call. You are not left to guess on a weekend.
Why you will not be oversold here
The fear behind the cost question is usually not the money. It is being talked into surgery you did not need.
Both doctors are board certified diplomates of the American Board of Periodontology and hold teaching appointments at NYU, and gum disease here is treated non-surgically first and then re-measured. Surgery is what we do when those numbers do not improve, not the opening move.
We also do not keep your general dentistry. We treat gums, bone, and implants, then send you back to your own dentist with a written summary. There is no incentive here to expand the plan.
Questions patients ask
Cost and comfort, answered
- Will I know what it costs before I commit?
- Yes. You leave the consultation with the fee, the treatment sequence, and your estimated out-of-pocket in writing, and nothing is scheduled until you have seen it.
- Do you accept my dental insurance?
- We are out of network with all dental plans. We file your claim as a courtesy so your plan can reimburse you directly, and we tell you the expected reimbursement before you schedule.
- Do you accept CareCredit?
- Yes, for all treatment, including interest-free and extended payment plans subject to approval. The front desk can help you apply.
- Does coming in for a consultation commit me to surgery?
- No. A consultation gives you a diagnosis and written options, including doing nothing. Treatment is only scheduled after you agree to it.
- Is periodontal treatment painful?
- Treatment is done under local anesthesia with sedation available. Most patients describe soreness for two to three days rather than pain, managed with over-the-counter medication.
- How soon can I go back to work?
- Most patients work the next day and return to exercise within about a week. Bone grafting and full-arch treatment involve a longer soft-food period, which is written into your plan in advance.
- What if I have a problem after surgery?
- You have written instructions, an online post-op check-in form, and (718) 643-1953 reaches a direct line to the doctor on call.
- Can treatment be spread out over time?
- Yes. When cost is the constraint we sequence the work, treating active disease first and rebuilding later, and we tell you plainly what is urgent.
Related
Referred by your dentist?
What happens next, and the one thing to do first.
Request an appointment
Tell us what is going on and we reply within one business day.
Patient FAQ
Hours, location, first visit, and how the practice works.
Surgery instructions
Pre-operative and post-operative instructions in full.
Ask us the cost question before you come in.
Call or text (718) 643-1953 with your plan details and our insurance team will check your out-of-network benefits first, so there are no surprises at the consultation.