Info for our patients


	Please see your Dentist! Please remember to see your regular dentist at least every six-months during your orthodontic treatment, or more frequently if this has been recommended to you by our office or by your general dentist or periodontist. We want to help you keep your "Pearly Whites" just that!

	Canceled Appointments From time to time, unexpected events or illnesses can lead to a change in anyone's schedule. Our office understands that this will occur, and we will always be willing to work with you to reschedule your appointment at the earliest date possible. We ask that you call us as soon as possible before your appointment to reschedule. Please keep in mind that during the School Year, early morning and late afternoon appointments fill up first, so they may be difficult to reschedule on short notice.

	Failed or Missed Appointments We understand that people's lives are hectic these days, and know that it is possible that you may forget to come to an appointment or two during the course of treatment. A failed appointment occurs when your appointment time comes, and you do not arrive for your scheduled appointment. Generally, we will call you to let you know that you have missed your appointment, or will send you a postcard. As a courtesy to you, we do not charge for the first two failed appointments, but will charge a nominal fee for the third and subsequent appointments. This charge occurs because once your appointment time is lost, it cannot be replaced; the charge reimburses us for lost chair and staff time. To avoid a failed appointment, all you have to do is give us a call in advance (normally with 24-hour's notice) to cancel your appointment.

	Lost and Broken Appliances Removable appliances (Retainers and Horseshoes) are excellent treatment modalities, but they can present some challenges. Retainers are lost most often when wrapped in a napkin or left on a table at a restaurant. Retainers are most often broken by: 1) Getting chewed up by a dog; 2) Getting crushed in a pocket or backpack; 3) Getting clasps broken by flipping the retainer in and out; and 4) Getting stepped on accidentally. Your retainer case is the best protection for your retainer or horseshoe! There is a charge to replace lost or broken retainers and horseshoes. Fixed appliances (stainless steel bands, metal or clear brackets, and archwires) are most commonly broken by hard or sticky foods (such as candy, ice, and chips). Fingers, and other objects such as pen caps are also known to do damage to braces. We realize that braces are a challenge, and therefore we do not charge for the first four broken bands, brackets, or wires. After the fourth broken appliance, we charge a nominal fee to replace the appliance. Please keep in mind that excessive broken appliances slow down your treatment and can add months onto your treatment if not under control. For a list of foods to avoid, please refer to our website at www.DrFrankSmiles.com, or simply ask us for a copy of the Food List.

	Late Fee Finance Charges We are pleased to offer flexible payment plans to our patients, without any interest or finance charges at all for on-time payments. Please appreciate that we have many accounts which are behind in their payments. You know that if you were 40-90+ days late on your house, car, or credit card payment, you would universally be charged a late fee and/or finance charges. When our accounts are overdue, we may charge a Late Fee Finance Charge per the terms of your original contract. This charge helps to cover our additional collection costs associated with a late payment, and hopefully helps reduce the surprisingly high number of past due accounts which we carry each month. For those who would like to forget about making monthly payments, we will be pleased to convert your account to an automatic credit card account at any time-- just let us know, and we'll give you the appropriate form. For those wishing to make smaller payments, we also offer outside financing at a nominal interest rate through the Orthodontists' Fee Plan (OFP).