Questions before a visit
Twenty questions about first visits, costs, insurance and care in this fictional practice.
01Start with what you need to know
Start with what you need to know
The practice, people, prices and policies are fictional. Use these answers to explore the demo. No appointment can be made here.
Questions
A few clear answers
Are you accepting new patients?
Yes. Use the appointment request form or call 512-555-0142 and tell the front desk you are a new patient. We will find a first-visit time that suits you. The new patients page lists what to bring.
How long does a first visit take?
Plan on about 60 to 90 minutes. That covers paperwork, an exam, X-rays if you need them, a cleaning if one fits the day, and a conversation about what we found and what comes next.
Can I see a dentist today if I have a dental emergency?
We keep time open each weekday for emergencies and offer same-day appointments on weekdays when the schedule allows. Call 512-555-0142 as early as you can. We cannot promise a same-day time in every case, and we do not offer after-hours or weekend emergency care. Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency department right away, without calling the practice first, if you have trouble breathing or swallowing; swelling of the face, jaw or neck that is spreading or affects your breathing or swallowing; a fever with facial swelling; bleeding you cannot stop; a suspected broken jaw; or a serious head or face injury.
What should I do if I have an emergency when you are closed?
Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency department right away, without calling the practice first, if you have trouble breathing or swallowing; swelling of the face, jaw or neck that is spreading or affects your breathing or swallowing; a fever with facial swelling; bleeding you cannot stop; a suspected broken jaw; or a serious head or face injury. A severe or constant toothache, a knocked-out adult tooth, or a broken tooth with pain needs dental care the same day. Call us on 512-555-0142 when we are open. When we are closed, or cannot see you in time, go to a hospital emergency department rather than waiting for us to open. A small chip, a lost filling without pain or mild sensitivity can wait for a regular visit. Call us when we open. Our voicemail is checked first thing each business morning.
Do you take dental insurance?
No carrier, exact plan or dentist participation is verified for this fictional practice. Ask your real practice and insurer about the exact plan and dentist, allowed fee, deductible, remaining annual maximum, waiting period and exclusions.
What if I do not have insurance?
You can pay as a self-pay patient or join the Brazos Street membership plan (USD 29 a month, USD 348 over a 12-month term). The costs page has an anonymous estimator that shows illustrative ranges for each treatment and what each price includes.
How does the membership plan work?
The fictional plan costs USD 29 a month, or USD 348 if kept for all 12 months, and covers one person. It includes two routine visits when clinically appropriate and entitlement remains. Other numbered treatments receive 15% off each endpoint, rounded per row to the nearest USD 10. Emergency visits are discounted, not included. Gum care is quoted separately. No insurance combination or online enrollment. Renewal is manual, and future months can be canceled.
How can I pay?
In this fictional scenario, payment is at the visit after the agreed estimate. Cards, checks and HSA/FSA cards are example methods; eligibility varies by expense and plan. There is no website deposit, payment or financing offer.
Why do I need X-rays?
X-rays show what cannot be seen by looking: decay between teeth, bone levels around teeth and the roots below the gum line. Your dentist decides which X-rays you need and how often, based on your age, your history and your risk of dental problems. Tell the team if you are or might be pregnant before any X-ray.
I get nervous at the dentist. Can you help?
Tell us when you book or when you arrive. We explain each step before we do it, agree a signal you can use to pause, and go at a pace you are comfortable with. Local anesthetic is used to numb the area for fillings, crowns and similar treatment. We do not promise that a visit will be free of discomfort, but we will tell you what to expect.
At what age do you see children?
We see children from the time their first tooth comes in. The American Dental Association says to schedule a child's first dental visit after the first tooth comes in, and no later than the first birthday. Our dentists are general dentists. If a child needs care from a pediatric dentist, who is a specialist, we will say so and refer.
What if I need to change or cancel an appointment?
Please call us at least 24 hours before your appointment so we can offer the time to someone else. We understand that things happen and will talk with you if you have missed a visit.
Is my exact dental plan in network?
A carrier name alone does not establish participation. No exact plan or dentist network participation is verified here. Confirm both with your real practice and insurer.
How does a deductible affect my cost?
Your contract decides the deductible and when it applies. Ask the insurer what remains and ask the practice how it affects the written estimate. The Cost Counter shows a self-pay reference only.
What if I have used some of my annual maximum?
Ask your insurer for the remaining annual maximum and what counts toward it. This website does not read benefits or calculate your insured cost.
Could there be a waiting period?
Waiting periods and exclusions depend on the exact contract. Check before agreeing to care. A benefit estimate is not a payment guarantee.
Can I ask for a written estimate?
Ask your real provider for an itemized written estimate before agreeing to care and ask how changes will be explained. If you do not use insurance, ask about a Good Faith Estimate. The fictional counter is not one.
Does the first-visit price include deep cleaning?
No. It includes routine cleaning if appropriate. Gum care needs its own assessment, agreed scope and separate written quote.
Does membership renew automatically, and can I cancel?
Renewal at 12 months is manual. In the fictional policy, contact the front desk to cancel future months. Benefits end after the last paid month. Used benefits are not repriced. Unused whole prepaid months are refunded; partial months are not.
When would I pay, and is there a cancellation charge?
Payment is at the visit after the agreed estimate. Please give 24 hours’ notice to change or cancel. This fictional example has no late-cancellation or no-show charge and takes no website deposit.
Choose the next step.
This fictional demo sends nothing.