What You Need to Know About Cost at Penn Dental Medicine

“How much will my treatment at Penn Dental Medicine cost?”

We realize dental fees are an important concern. Because we are an educational clinic of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Penn Dental fees are lower than those at private practices.

We are committed to helping improve health care equity for all. We make investments in oral health as affordable and manageable as we can.

Here are specific ways Penn Dental Medicine helps patients understand, prepare for, and meet the financial cost of dental care.

Penn Dental Medicine advises patients about their recommended treatment and its estimated cost, as well as any alternative treatments. Once patients understand and accept the plan, both patient and attending faculty must sign it.

We base our fee estimates on current fees at the time the treatment plan is signed. Please note we review our fees annually.

The fee charged at the time any service or procedure starts will be the fee currently in effect. We honor estimated fees for two (2) years unless:

1. The treatment plan requires change due to changes in the patient’s oral condition or patient neglect.
2. The patient does not follow the treatment schedule as their student doctor directs.
3. The treatment is delayed due to patient availability or finances.

At each visit, Penn Dental Medicine will advise you of each succeeding procedure’s costs to prepare you for subsequent charges. Please ask your student doctor if you are not clear about the costs of your next procedure(s).

Payment is due in full at the time Penn Dental Medicine provides service. We accept:

• Cash
• Personal checks
• Money orders
• Credit/debit cards

For qualifying patients, we also offer third-party financing options through CareCredit (see below).

Qualifying patients may finance their payment through CareCredit, a third-party provider of health care financing for more than 30 years.

Payment options include 24-, 36-, 48-, and 60-month fixed rate installment programs, as well as a 6-month no interest if paid in full program.

CareCredit is subject to customer credit approval.

Penn Dental Medicine accepts direct payments from most dental insurance plans, including Penn Dental insurance plans for employees of the University of Pennsylvania and their beneficiaries.

We also accept all Medicaid plans offered to residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Contact your insurance company or consult your certificate of coverage for details about covered or non-covered services, co-payment requirements, service limitations or restrictions, yearly maximum, and the insurance plan’s participating or non-participating relationship with Penn Dental Medicine.

The following insurance plans consider Penn Dental Medicine in-network clinics:

• United Concordia/PA Blue Shield/Concordia Plus DMO
• Delta Dental (PPO only)
• Aetna PPO and Aetna DMO
• Cigna PPO
• Assurant/Sun Life Financial
• Keystone First VIP Choice
• Pennsylvania Medicaid

We also accept payment from several out-of-plan insurers.

Please ask our patient financial services office any questions you may have about your coverage.

For most potentially covered treatments costing more than $300.00, we recommend that your student doctor obtain prior authorization from your carrier. This is a best practice to help provide you with a clearer estimate, before treatment, regarding the amount for which you might be responsible.

While you might have the option to skip this process, we advise against it. Even if your insurance carrier indicates a procedure is a covered benefit, significant procedures could be subject to your carrier’s review before payment. Remember, our treatment estimates are our best estimate and it’s also important for patients to be familiar with their insurance coverage.

Possession of an insurance ID card does not guarantee eligibility. Your coverage must be valid at the time of treatment.

Patients who obtain coverage after admission must notify their student doctor or central registration and scheduling (CRSC) so we may note this coverage on your record.

Claims cannot be made retroactively. Therefore, patients who do not inform Penn Dental Medicine of insurance changes are liable for treatment performed without authorization.

Please be aware, before you begin treatment, of Penn Dental billing policies regarding prepayment and past due balances.

For services requiring laboratory work (such as crowns, bridges, and dentures), two-thirds (2/3) of the fee is due prior to submitting the case to the laboratory to make the final prosthesis. The remaining balance is due at the time of insertion.

For implant services and periodontal surgical procedures, prepayment must be made in full before treatment is provided.

Failure to maintain an up-to-date balance will result in Penn Dental Medicine withholding service until the balance is paid, including any collection charges assessed.

If, after the third billing cycle, you do not remit payment, Penn Dental Medicine may send your account to collection, suspend your treatment, and dismiss you as a patient.