Your First Appointment
Your first visit
The first visit normally includes essential diagnostic records, a clinical examination, and a diagnostic and treatment planning conference. These services are FREE to you.
Diagnostic records
Before Dr. McAnnally begins your clinical examination, our clinical team will obtain essential diagnostic records. These normally include digital photographs of the face and teeth, a panoramic x-ray of the jaws and teeth, and a detailed medical and dental history. These records will assist the doctor in the diagnosis and treatment planning process. Later these records are helpful in tracking the progress of treatment.
Clinical examination
Dr. McAnnally will then complete a thorough clinical examination. He will examine smile esthetics, the bite, the alignment of the teeth, jaw joint (TMJ) and dental function, skeletal pattern including jaw size, form, and position, facial pattern, dental and skeletal symmetry, and airway function.
Consultation
After Dr. McAnnally has evaluated your records and completed your exam, he and our staff will review the diagnostic findings and, if indicated, present available treatment options. The doctor and/or clinical coordinator will answer any questions you may have regarding possible treatment alternatives, estimated treatment time and cost, insurance coverage, and payment options.
Your FREE diagnostic evaluation, clinical examination, and consultation with the doctor will generally last about an hour and twenty minutes. Appointments for FREE clinical examinations are available Monday through Thursday by appointment only. An appointment time can be reserved by calling 1-800 NO BRACES or 248-647-0696. To facilitate your appointment a Patient History Form can be downloaded here and completed at your convenience before your appointment. Please bring your completed form to your appointment.
Appointment scheduling
Progress appointments
The appointment to start treatment (Invisalign®, braces, expanders, etc.) usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. You'll then see us at regular intervals 4 to 12 weeks apart for periodic observation and needed adjustments to your appliances or braces, or to pick up new Invisalign® aligners. These appointments take 10 to 40 minutes depending on the procedure.
Office hours and scheduling
Our office hours are Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5 PM. Clinical appointments are scheduled Monday through Thursday by appointment only. Fridays are reserved for team continuing education and other supporting activities.
We willl make every effort to be on time for you and look forward to seeing you at your appointed time. We urge you to make and keep appointments at your recommended treatment intervals. We provide excellent communication services to assist you, including automated telephone reminders and e-mail reminders, text messaging, and 24-hour online account and appointment access. It is difficult, if not impossible, to reschedule a cancelled or missed appointment at your recommended treatment interval since our schedule is completed 6 to 12 weeks in advance.
Schedule appropriate time for adjustments and repairs
Occasionally a bracket or wire may come loose or detached, an appliance may break, or another unanticipated problem may occur. If so, call our office without delay, describe the nature of your problem to our scheduling coordinator who will provide an appropriate appointment for adjustment or repair. Adjustments and repairs often require extra time and must be scheduled in advance to avoid disrupting the appointment times of other patients.
Financial Arrangements – Payment Options and Insurance
Dentofacial orthopedic and orthodontic care - An investment in your future
Every effort will be made to make your orthodontics affordable and rewarding. Few investments provide the excellent physical, psychological and economic benefits provided by a healthy, attractive smile. The benefits include improved self-esteem, preferential treatment by others, an improved social milieu, dateability, marriageability, employment, advancement in employment, income and lifestyle.
A fee estimate normally can be provided at your initial visit. During this appointment you will be able to discuss fees and payment options with our staff. We have payment plans to suit different budgets, including a no-down-payment option. We also accept direct assignment of benefits from most insurance plans, and submit insurance claims for you.
Insurance may reduce your “out of pocket” expenditure. Tax advantaged Medical Savings Accounts may allow you to make payments with pre-tax dollars. Prepayment discounts and other convenient payment options are available.
Payment options
In an effort to keep orthodontic fees down while maintaining the highest level of professional care, we have established this financial policy:
- We offer a discount for full payment of our professional fee at the onset of treatment.
- If you have orthodontic insurance benefits, we offer a discount for full payment of the patient portion of our fee at the onset of treatment. The insurance benefit is not discounted.
- After a suitable down payment, your remaining balance can be amortized over a period of months at zero interest. Terms are subject to our approval.
- Zero down financing is available through local financial institutions and CareCredit. We can assist you. Click here to learn more about CareCredit and apply online.
- For your convenience, automatic payment arrangements can be made using check drafts, VISA, MASTERCARD, and DISCOVER.
- For your convenience, payments can be made online through our secure website.
Insurance
Our experienced staff will assist you with the filing of your insurance claims. For your convenience, we accept direct assignment of orthodontic insurance benefits. The unpaid balance after insurance assignment will be arranged for you to pay us directly (see above). Unpaid and past due insurance assignments are transferred from the insurance side of your ledger to the patient side of your ledger. You are then responsible for the payment of unpaid insurance benefits.
If you are receiving services for a temporomandibular or myofascial disorder (TMD or MPD) or accident-related problem, you may be eligible for medical insurance benefits. The final decision is a matter of contract between you and your medical insurance carrier. In general, the following principal applies: Insurance contracts pay for specifically defined services. They do not pay for medical diagnoses, medical conditions, or what is wrong. You may, for example, have a medical problem for which there is an orthodontic solution but no defined insurance benefit.
Because of the more tenuous nature of medical benefits, we normally ask that medical benefits to which you may be entitled be sent directly to you. Professional care is provided to you, our patient, and you are the final guarantor of your account, not your insurance company. Your insurance company is responsible to you under the terms of your insurance contract. You are responsible to the doctor.
Delinquency
Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate patients with temporary difficulties. In cases of serious or persistent delinquency, treatment will be discontinued.
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