Payment for professional services is due at the time dental treatment is provided. Every effort will be made to provide a treatment plan which fits your timetable and budget, and gives your child the best possible care. We accept cash, personal checks, debit cards and most major credit cards.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND that we file dental insurance as a courtesy to our patients. We do not have a contract with your insurance company, only you do. We are not responsible for how your insurance company handles its claims or for what benefits they pay on a claim. We can only assist you in estimating your portion of the cost of treatment, we at no time guarantee what your insurance will or will not do with each claim. We also can not be responsible for any errors in filing your insurance, once again we file claims as a courtesy to you.
Dental insurance is meant to be an aid in receiving dental care. Many patients think that their insurance pays 90%-100% of all dental fees. This is not true! Most plans only pay between 50%-80% of the average total fee. Some pay more, some pay less. The percentage paid is usually determined by how much you or your employer has paid for coverage or the type of contract your employer has set up with the insurance company.
You may have noticed that sometimes your dental insurer reimburses you or the dentist at a lower rate than the dentist 's actual fee. Frequently, insurance companies state that the reimbursement was reduced because your dentist 's fee has exceeded the usual, customary, or reasonable fee ('UCR') used by the company.
A statement such as this gives the impression that any fee greater than the amount paid by the insurance company is unreasonable or well above what most dentists in the area charge for a certain service. This can be very misleading and simply is not accurate.
Insurance companies set their own schedules and each company uses a different set of fees they consider allowable. These allowable fees may vary widely because each company collects fee information from claims it processes. The insurance company then takes this data and arbitrarily chooses a level they call the 'allowable' UCR Fee. Frequently this data can be three to five years old and these 'allowable' fees are set by the insurance company so they can make a net 20%-30% profit.
Unfortunately, insurance companies imply that your dentist is 'overcharging' rather than say that they are 'underpaying' or that their benefits are low. In general, the less expensive insurance policy will use a lower usual, customary, or reasonable (UCR) figure.
Pediatric Dental Associates in Lakewood, WA serving infants, children, and teens in in the surrounding cities of Tacoma, Puyallup, and Dupont, WA 6015 100th St. Southwest Lakewood, WA 98499 - Ph: 253-582-2626 - Fax: 253-588-0117
Dr. Su is originally from Surrey, British Columbia. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree in Life Sciences from Queen's University in Ontario, Dr. Su found her career aspiration in dentistry. She pursued her dental education at New York University where she graduated in 2003 with elite honors and numerous awards. Inspired by her work with the inner city kids of New York, Dr. Su went on to complete her pediatric dental specialist residency at the University of Pittsburgh in 2005.
As a specialist in pediatric dentistry, Dr. Su is passionate about her work. She feels privileged to have the opportunity to provide effective dental care, and improve a person's oral health from a young age. Dr. Su believes that it is the role of a pediatric dentist to introduce children to a lifetime of positive and no-fear dental experiences. Working with children brightens her day!
Dr. Su is a diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, a member of the American Dental Association, Washington State Dental Society, Pierce County Dental Society, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She is a certified provider for Washington State's ABCD program. Dr. Su belongs to the Omicron Kappa Upsilon, an honor dental society, which is bestowed on the top 10% of dental graduates.
Dr. Su is the author of the research article the Inheritance of Occlusal Topography in Twins . She was also interviewed for articles on the consequences of teeth grinding and pacifier use that have appeared in several magazines around the country including Seattle Business Magazine, Cincinnati Parent, and Austin Family. Dr. Su was voted as one of the top dentists in Pediatric Dentistry by Seattle Met magazine in 2013.
Dr. Chen is a native of Vancouver, British Columbia. He received his doctor of dental surgery degree with honors from New York University in 2003 and continued with his specialty training in orthodontics at SUNY Buffalo Dental School. Dr. Chen received his Graduate Orthodontic Certificate and Master in Orthodontics degree in 2005.
Dr. Chen is passionate about orthodontics because the art of creating beautiful smiles changes people's lives. He believes a confident and gorgeous smile is part of the first impression experience that expresses who we are.
Dr. Chen is a member of the American Dental Association, Washington State Dental Society, Pierce County Dental Society, and the American Association of Orthodontists. He currently serves on the board of trustees for PCDS.
Dr. Chen belongs to the Omicron Kappa Upsilon, an honor dental society, which is bestowed on the top 10% of dental graduates. Dr. Chen has won numerous awards from the American Equilibration Society, the American Academy of Periodontology, and the 8th District Orthodontics Society. Dr. Chen stays on the cutting edge of orthodontics and dentistry by completing numerous continuing education courses and professional certifications. He is on the board of the Pierce County Dental Society and the Maxillofacial Review Board. He is also a certified premiere Invisalign provider and an associate fellow at the World Clinical Laser Institute and Great Lakes Orthodontic Laboratory.
Dr. Noor is originally from Vancouver, British Columbia and always knew he wanted to be a dentist. After completing his undergraduate degree in Biology from Queen's University in Ontario, he went on to pursue his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in Vancouver, BC at the University of British Columbia. Upon graduation, Dr. Noor relocated to New York City to pursue a general practice residency, during which time he obtained extensive training in dental trauma, oral surgery and hospital dentistry for medically compromised patients.
Dr. Noor was drawn to pediatrics because of the importance of imparting advice for optimal oral health from a young age. While pursuing an additional two year pediatric dental specialty residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City, Dr. Noor served as Chief Resident. During this time, he was also on staff at the Rose F. Kennedy Children's Rehabilitation Center where he was able to treat children with special health care needs.
Dr. Noor holds memberships with the Washington State Dental Society, Pierce County Dental Society, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Pierce County Medical Reserve Corp and the American Dental Association. Like the rest of the team at Pediatric Dental Associates, he is also a certified provider for Washington State's ABCD program.
