Two columns, plainly.
We hold no network contracts.
That includes Delta Dental and Aetna, which we were previously contracted with. It now applies to every plan equally — we are not ranking carriers, and there is no in-network list to check yourself against.
Your plan pays its out-of-network rate instead of a contracted one. With Delta Dental that payment goes to you; with every other carrier it comes to us, so we bill them and collect only an estimate of your share at the visit.
Delta Dental · Aetna · Anthem Blue Cross · Cigna · MetLife · Guardian · United Healthcare · Blue Cross Blue Shield — and every other PPO plan. The list is not a ranking; it is all of them.
Everything else.
Three steps, no surprises.
We verify, then quote.
Before treatment we check your specific policy and hand you a written estimate of the expected out-of-pocket.
We file the claim.
On your behalf, with the documentation your plan asks for. That part did not change and will not.
Delta pays you. The rest pay us.
Delta Dental sends your reimbursement straight to you. Every other carrier pays us — so we collect only an estimate of your share at the visit, as a courtesy, rather than the whole fee while the claim clears.
The estimate you sign is the bill you get. If findings change mid-treatment, work pauses until you have approved the change — that promise is older than this one and it is not going anywhere.
The ledger works both directions.
If your tooth is not worth saving — a fractured root, too little structure left — we will say so at the consultation and you will spend nothing here. That was true when we were in-network and it is true now. It is the clearest test of whether a practice is being paid to treat or paid to be right, and we would rather keep passing it.
Ask the awkward ones.
Are you in-network with my dental insurance?
No. We are out-of-network with every PPO dental plan, including Delta Dental and Aetna. You can still use your benefits: we file the claim for you either way. With Delta Dental the reimbursement goes directly to you. With every other plan we bill the carrier ourselves and collect only an estimate of your share at the visit, as a courtesy.
Do you take Delta Dental or Aetna?
We treat patients with Delta Dental and Aetna every week — we are simply not a contracted, in-network provider for either. The two work differently: Delta Dental sends the reimbursement directly to you, while Aetna and the other carriers pay us, so we bill them and collect only an estimate of your share at the visit as a courtesy. Call (310) 378-8342 and we will read your specific policy with you before you commit to anything.
Does my plan still pay anything if you are out-of-network?
Most PPO plans include an out-of-network benefit, so yes — though the percentage is usually lower than the in-network one and it varies by policy. Most HMO and DHMO plans do not include one at all. We verify your specific plan before treatment and tell you the expected out-of-pocket in writing.
Does that mean my treatment costs more?
Our fees do not change based on your plan — the ranges published on our pricing page are what we charge everyone. What varies is how much your plan reimburses, and that depends on your specific policy. We verify your benefits and give you the expected out-of-pocket in writing before treatment starts.
Do you still file my insurance claim?
Yes. Nothing about that changes. We file the claim on your behalf and send the supporting documentation your plan needs. Where the money goes depends on the carrier: Delta Dental reimburses you directly, and every other plan pays us — so for those we collect only an estimate of your portion at the visit rather than the whole fee, as a courtesy while the claim clears.
Why did you leave the insurance networks?
A network contract pays per procedure code. Several of the things that shape our results have no code to bill: the GentleWave and Fotona laser systems we include at no extra charge, the unhurried appointment, and the consultation that ends with 'this tooth does not need treatment.' We would rather keep those than bill around them.
What if I have an HMO or DeltaCare USA plan?
Plan types differ, and some cover specialist care very differently out-of-network than a PPO does. We do not guess at it — call us before you commit to anything and we will verify your actual plan, quote the fee plainly, and tell you the expected out-of-pocket in writing. CareCredit financing is available if you need to spread the cost.
How do I find out what I will actually pay?
Call (310) 378-8342 or use our cost estimator for a range. At your consultation we verify your benefits and give you a written estimate before any treatment begins — and the estimate you sign is the bill you get.
Still unsure where your plan lands? Call (310) 378-8342 and we will read your policy with you before you commit to anything.