Home / Insurance & Payment
Dental insurance in Emmitsburg, MD
The plans we're in network with, what happens if yours isn't on the list, and how to get care if you don't have insurance at all.
Nobody chooses a dentist for the paperwork, but the paperwork is what stops people booking. So here it is in plain terms: we accept all insurance, we are in network with most of the major plans in Frederick County, we take Maryland Healthy Smiles, and we file your claim for you.
Plans we're in network with
Being in network means we've agreed rates with the carrier, so your share is the lowest it can be and there's no balance billing on the difference.
- Ameritas
- MetLife
- Principal
- Humana
- BCBS
- CareFirst
- FEP Blue
- Guardian
- United Healthcare
- Aetna
- DOD / Tricare
- United Concordia
- Cigna
Carriers rename and restructure plans constantly, and two people with the same insurer can have very different coverage. If yours is on this list, you're almost certainly fine. If you want certainty before you sit in the chair, call 301-447-6662 with your card in hand and we'll check the specific plan.
Maryland Healthy Smiles (Medicaid)
We accept Maryland Healthy Smiles, the state's dental program, for both children and adults who qualify. Adult dental coverage under Maryland Medicaid has expanded in recent years and a good number of people are eligible for care they assume they'd have to pay for.
You don't need to work out your eligibility before calling. Bring your card, and if you're not sure whether your coverage is active we can check it while you're on the phone. There are not many practices in northern Frederick County taking new Healthy Smiles patients, so it's worth asking rather than assuming.
If we're not in network with your plan
You can still be seen. Most dental plans pay out-of-network benefits at a somewhat lower percentage, and the practical difference is often smaller than people expect — sometimes a few dollars on a cleaning.
What we do is submit the claim on your behalf and tell you, before treatment starts, what we expect your plan to pay and what we expect you to owe. No surprise invoice three weeks later.
If you don't have dental insurance
Roughly a quarter of adults in Maryland don't, and it should not be the reason a toothache turns into an emergency. There are three ways people usually handle it here:
- Pay as you go. We take cash, check and all major cards. You'll get the fee for the work in writing before we begin, not after.
- CareCredit. A health care credit line that spreads treatment over monthly payments, with interest-free periods on many plans. You apply directly with them; approval usually takes a few minutes and we can help you do it at the front desk.
- An in-house payment plan. For larger treatment — implants, dentures, a full course of restorative work — we can split the fee across payments directly with the practice. Ask Dr. Olu or the front desk and we'll work something out.
You'll know the cost before we start
For anything beyond a routine cleaning and exam, we put together a written treatment estimate: what's recommended, what it costs, what your plan is expected to cover, and what's left for you. You take it home and decide. Nothing is booked because you felt put on the spot in the chair.
What to bring to your first visit
- Your insurance card, or your Healthy Smiles card
- A photo ID
- A list of any medications you take, including supplements
- Any X-rays from a previous dentist, if you have them — it can save you a set
Not sure whether you're covered? Call 301-447-6662 and read us what's on your card. Checking takes a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Common questions
Do you take my insurance?
We accept all dental insurance and are in network with most of the major carriers, including CareFirst, FEP Blue, MetLife, Cigna, Aetna, Ameritas, Guardian, Principal, Humana, United Healthcare, United Concordia and Tricare. If your plan isn't on that list we can still see you and will file the claim for you — the out-of-network difference is usually smaller than people expect. Call 301-447-6662 with your card and we'll check your specific plan.
Do you accept Maryland Medicaid or Healthy Smiles?
Yes. We accept Maryland Healthy Smiles for children and for adults who qualify. Bring your card to the first visit. If you aren't sure whether your coverage is currently active, call the office and we can check it with you.
How much does a visit cost if I have no insurance?
It depends on what you need, which is why we give you the fee in writing before any work starts rather than after. A new patient exam with X-rays and a cleaning is the usual starting point, and for anything larger you'll get a written treatment estimate to take home. We take cash, check and all major cards, and offer CareCredit and in-house payment plans for bigger treatment.
Will you tell me what I owe before you start?
Yes. For anything beyond a routine cleaning and exam we prepare a written estimate showing the recommended treatment, the fee, what we expect your plan to pay and what is left for you. You take it away and decide in your own time.
Do you offer payment plans or financing?
Both. CareCredit is a health care credit line that spreads treatment across monthly payments, with interest-free periods on many of its plans, and approval usually takes a few minutes at the front desk. For larger work we can also arrange a payment plan directly with the practice.
Do you file the insurance claim, or do I?
We file it. You pay your share at the visit and we submit the rest to your carrier on your behalf, in network or out.
My plan has a maximum I haven't used this year. Does it roll over?
Almost never. Most dental plans reset every 1 January and any unused annual maximum is simply lost. If you have treatment that has been waiting and benefits still available, it is worth getting it done before the year ends. Call us and we can tell you where you stand.
Let's get the coverage question out of the way
One phone call settles it. Then we can talk about your teeth instead of your benefits.