New patients and fees
Your first visit, written out before you book it.
Most people put off a new dentist because they do not know what will happen in the room or on the bill. So here is the visit, step by step, and here is what a written estimate looks like.
Nothing beyond the exam and cleaning happens at Harborlight without one.
- The first visit explained in five steps, below
- A written estimate before any treatment beyond the exam and cleaning
- Most major PPO plans accepted; benefits checked before you arrive
- The Harborlight Plan for families without insurance
- The whole household booked in one morning if you want it
Or call (207) 555-0164 Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm
The first visit
About seventy minutes, in this order.
Children's first visits are shorter and mostly show-and-tell with Rosa. Adults who have not seen a dentist in years get the same five steps and no lecture.
Check-in with Naomi
Your welcome sheet is already filled in from the form. She confirms your plan details and who is being seen today. If it is a Family Block, everyone checks in once.
7:00X-rays, if they are due
A small set of digital X-rays so the dentist can see between and under the teeth. If you have recent ones from another office, we ask for them instead.
7:10The cleaning and the gum check, with your hygienist
Jenna or a named colleague cleans, measures the gums, and notes what she sees. This is the person you will see every six months from now on.
7:20The exam and the conversation
Dr. Marsh or Dr. Pelletier looks at everything, shows you what they see on the screen, and tells you plainly what matters now and what can wait.
7:50The written estimate, if anything was found
Naomi prints it before you leave: what it is, what it costs, what your plan is expected to cover, what you pay, and what can wait. You take it home. Nothing is booked at the desk unless you want it to be.
8:05The written estimate
What is on the piece of paper.
One page, the same layout every time, reviewed by Dr. Marsh before it goes out.
| Line | What it says |
|---|---|
| The finding | What was found and where, in plain words, with the clinical name in brackets once. |
| The options | Usually two: the recommended treatment and the alternative, including doing nothing for now where that is reasonable. |
| The fee | Our full fee for each option, before insurance. |
| Expected plan coverage | What your plan is expected to pay, based on the benefits check. Marked as an estimate, because plans decide after the fact. |
| What you pay | The difference, per option, and whether it can be split over visits. |
| What can wait | Anything that can safely be watched until the next cleaning is listed here, with a note on what would change our mind. |
Fees are not published on this site because they depend on the exam. The estimate is the number.
Insurance and fees
How paying works here, in plain words.
Most major PPO plans
We work with most major PPO dental plans and submit claims for you. Naomi checks your benefits before the first visit so the estimate uses real numbers, not guesses. Plans make the final decision after treatment, which is why the coverage line is an estimate.
The Harborlight Plan
An in-house annual membership for families without dental insurance. One yearly fee covers the routine visits, exams and X-rays for each member and discounts other treatment. Naomi explains the current terms and fee by phone; nothing is sold on this page.
Paying over time
Third-party financing is available for larger treatment, applied for at the desk. We do not name a lender here and we do not pay for the ad space of one.
If a number does not match
If a bill does not match the estimate, call Naomi before paying it. Either the plan changed its mind, which we will help you contest, or we made a mistake, which we will fix.
Who you will meet
Naomi at the desk, then your hygienist.
Naomi Baptiste runs the schedule, the estimates and the insurance questions. She is the person who builds your Family Block and the person who picks up the phone.
Your family is then assigned a hygienist by name. For most families that is Jenna Thibodeau, who has been here since 2012. She keeps the notes that make the second visit easier than the first.
Bring your insurance card, a list of any medications, and recent X-rays if another office has them. Children can bring whatever they need to bring.
Not sure what your plan covers, or whether you even need a first visit yet? Call and ask Naomi. There is no charge for the question.
(207) 555-0164Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm
Before you book
Questions new patients ask before the first visit.
Anything else, call (207) 555-0164.
How long is the first visit?
About seventy minutes for an adult with X-rays, a cleaning and the exam. A child's first visit is twenty to thirty minutes and mostly show-and-tell with Rosa. A Family Block runs everyone back to back, so a household of four is usually done in about two hours with one check-in.
What if I have not been to a dentist in years?
You get the same five steps and no lecture. The exam might find more, in which case the written estimate lists what matters now and what can wait, so you can plan it over time rather than all at once.
Will I be told the cost before anything is done?
Yes. That is the rule the practice was built on. Nothing beyond the exam and cleaning happens without a written estimate, and Dr. Marsh reviews every estimate before it goes out.
Do you take my dental insurance?
We work with most major PPO plans. Tell Naomi your plan when you book and she will check the benefits before you arrive. Plans decide coverage after treatment, so the coverage line on the estimate is marked as an estimate.
Can I book my children at the same time as me?
Yes. Say how many people are coming on the form and Naomi books the household back to back in neighbouring rooms. The 7:00 start is popular with school families and goes first.
Next step
You have read the visit. Now pick a morning.
Naomi replies within one business day with times, and the welcome sheet arrives before you do.
or call (207) 555-0164
Monday to Thursday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 1:00 pm