I was surprised the last time I went to the dentist, as she asked for the money on the way out. Never had that happen before. But I just shrugged and paid what I cold, told her I didn’t have enough*, and paid the rest through the mail.
*Honestly, how do you know? I don’t carry credit cards, and I didn’t have my checkbook because I wasn’t expecting to pay!
I had insurance through my union, which required me to pay in full, and then submit the bill for reimbursement. I remember a time many years ago when my son needed braces, and there was no way i could pay the $2000.00 on the way out the door. I was offered a payment plan which would cost me $100.00 a month…no interest, just $100.00 due on the first of every month. I did that for five months, as I recall, and a month came along when I had extra cash, so, I sent in $200.00, to get ahead. Well, comes the first of the next month, I don’t send anything, reasoning that I sent in a double payment last month. No good, said the billing department…I signed on for $100.00 per month, and now I was late on my payment. Out of the blue, comes a letter stating that if I am having trouble paying the bill, they were offering 20% off, if I paid in full NOW. Well, the boobs shot them selves in the foot on that one. I paid up, and walked away a winner.
My dental insurance requires that I pay up front, then the dentist files the insurance paperwork and I get a check back in the mail.
I’ve never paid in the office at my current dentist. (Can’t remember how it was in college and grad school and Mom paid for the dentist before that.) They always submit the bill to my insurance and then bill me for any difference that they don’t write off. I had a crown done a couple of years ago and they didn’t send me a bill until the whole procedure was done, even though my insurance only covered about 1/2 of it.
GT
For me, payment is expected at time of visit.
Not too long ago I went to a new dentist for an emergency appointment, what I thought was a filling that needed to be replaced. It turned out that I needed a root canal. He said, “Want to get started on that right now?” I said sure. So he does the first part. I knew it was going to be pretty expensive. (I have dental, but root canal is not covered.) I don’t really have any disposable income, especially for something unplanned like this was, so I was planning on paying by credit card. Well, much to my surprise, these people don’t accept credit cards. The bill was upwards of $600. Well, I don’t have upwards of $600 in my checking account….I panic. I wrote a check anyway, knowing it would bounce. When I got back to my office, my head cleared a little and I called them and told them the situation and that I needed a payment plan. They offered me something like $300 now, and $300 when I came back for the crown next week. I STILL don’t have that kind of cash, so I had to ask my mom for the money to pay them. Then I went to another dentist to finish the job, someone who at least takes a credit card. Ka-ching! It’s crazy how much denitistry costs.
Take care of your teeth, kids!
I always pay on the way out. Minus whatever they know insurance will pay for.
At my son’s dentist, they sort of tiptoe around it. Making sure you know in advance that you’ll be expected to pay something and asking somewhat gingerly if you’re prepared to make a payment today. That’s very weird to me. I suppose it’s their way of being delicate but it lands really funny on my ears, like they’re uncomfortable.
My dentist also wants payment on the way out. It’s common practice.