People often put off their dental care needs for financial reasons. But did you know that your oral health is an important part of your overall health?

Avoiding treatments can also lead to higher costs further down the track.  Prevention is definitely better than cure in regards to both your health and finances.  We encourage all our patients to attend their regularly scheduled hygiene appointments to save costs in the long run.

Financial Assistance

Our goal is not to let expense prevent you from benefiting from the quality of care you need.  Without delaying treatment, you can make an application to gain dental finance through Dentalcard – a dental loan program.

With Dentalcard you can choose to finance the full amount or just a portion of your fees.  There is no down payment required and you can choose to pay fixed monthly repayments from a period of 6 months and up to 5 years.  Please note that this is a repayment contract between you and Dentalcard.

Our Treatment Coordinator also has information and advice for individual insurance if you are not covered by your workplace.

Insurance Billing

At Banff Dental Care we offer off-assignment or direct insurance billing*:

Direct Insurance Billing*

• You pay the difference between the cost of your treatments and the amount your insurance company covers.
• The insurance company pays us for the amount they will cover based on your dental plan.

Off-Assignment / Express VIP Program

• You pay us in full for the treatments that have been completed.
• The insurance company pays you for the amount that they will cover according to your dental plan.

*Restrictions apply for the direct insurance billing option.  This billing option is only available for patients on local/Bow Valley insurance plans.  Patients must also leave a credit card on file.

Our Payment Options

The methods of payment we accept are cash, debit and credit card (including AMEX).

Our Dental Fees

In 1997, The Province of Alberta abolished the provincial fee schedule. Therefore, dental fees vary within Alberta and from one province or territory to another.

Our fee schedule is evaluated annually and is based on the quality of the materials we use, the length of the procedure and our experience in performing your required treatment.

Understanding Your Dental Insurance

Your dental insurance is your responsibility, but we can help!

Dental insurance plans vary greatly and coverage policies often change.  Dental offices are not notified of these changes and this can cause misunderstandings about your coverage.  We rely on you to provide us with all current insurance and employer information, so that we may assist you with submission of your dental claims and pre-authorizations. We are more than happy to assist you in understanding your dental insurance, but please bring the latest information on your plan with you to your next appointment.

Here are some facts about dental insurance that every patient should know:

1. Dental insurance is a contract between you, your insurance company.  It is a package that has been negotiated by your employer with the insurance company.
2. Due to the implementation of the ‘Privacy Act’, dental insurance companies are required to only release information to the subscriber.  I.e. you.  This makes it difficult for us to contact insurance companies on your behalf to find out information for you.  Questions related to your current dental insurance coverage should be directed to your dental insurer or your employer.
3. All insurance companies set their own fee schedules. Insurance companies should re-evaluate their fee schedule annually, but do not.  This leaves the fee schedule used for your coverage a lot lower than the fee schedule that dental offices use.  Therefore, when your insurance company says they will cover 100% of your treatment, it really means 100% of the fee they have set for the procedure.
4. Before your treatment begins, we can forward a predetermination (pre-estimate) to your insurance company for confirmation of your coverage. It may not be 100% accurate, but this will enable you to plan your finances better prior to treatment.
5. The amount of benefits you are entitled to is related to the plan your employer has purchased and not to the value of the dental services received.  Your coverage is based on an overall amount per year, which can be a rolling year or calendar year.  Some procedures have additional restrictions based on frequencies: The time period in between the last treatment; the quantity of units; and how often.
6. Treatment plans and dental plans are not the same thing.  Upon visiting us, we will develop a treatment plan personalized to you.  A treatment plan outlines the procedures required (after examination) for you to achieve optimum oral health.  A dental plan is from your insurance company and outlines what they will cover you for.  It is important to understand that not all dental plans will cover the treatments you want or need.