Frequently Asked Questions by New Patients

When calling the office to schedule your first appointment, please be aware of the following:

• Let us know you’re a new patient and wish to make your first appointment.
• Our operators do not have answers to questions regarding dental treatments.
• We have two office locations. One office is in Cerritos, the other is one mile away in Lakewood. Our staff will give you directions upon request.
• You have a choice between the two offices in most cases*.
• You can choose between 10 general dentists and specialists’ such as endodontist, oral surgeon, and periodontist.
• Try to have relevant information or explanations ready, if you have a specific need or problem so we can place you with an appropriate dentist.
• Our appointment schedulers can only book appointments two weeks or less from the day you call.
• Our office hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday-Thursday and from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on Fridays. We’re closed for lunch from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm every day and are closed on major holidays.
• To cancel an appointment, you must notify our offices at least 24 hours before the time your appointment was scheduled. Any failure to do so will result in a $25.00 charge for a broken appointment.

*existing patients, orthodontic, endodontic, oral surgery, periodontic, and pedodontic cases may be assigned to a particular location and / or doctor.

• Please sign-in at the front desk. There will be a clipboard that says “New Patient Sign-In.” Write your name (patient’s name) in the next blank line on the sheet.
• Have a seat in the waiting room while your paperwork is prepared.
• An assistant will call you to fill out a New Patient Form (you may obtain a form from a staff member when you sign-in, as well). The forms must be completed in full, including employer, spouse, spouse’s employer, and insurance plan information, when applicable. Return the form to a staff member at the front desk and please have a seat.
• If you have an insurance and are not listed on one of our eligibility lists, you may have to be verified though your insurance plan’s Eligibility Verification System, meaning yourself or (if possible) one of our administrators may have to place a telephone call to verify your plan coverage.
• After a new patient chart file is created and a room is prepared, an assistant will call you to be seated in an exam room, where you will be examined by one of our dentists.

If you have a dental emergency because you are in extreme pain or have a broken tooth or broken dental work, we can examine you without an appointment during our regular office hours, in most cases. You may be required to fill out a New Patient Form before we can treat you. We’re sorry if this causes any inconvenience. In some instances, we may not be able to handle your dental emergency. You will be referred outside to a specialist. A specific dental specialist will be more experienced in your emergency treatment. It’s in the best interest of the patient to be seen by a specialist if necessary, in emergency situations. If you have an extremely serious dental emergency where you need immediate care, like in an automobile accident, you should contact your medical doctor or physician first. Call 911 if necessary or the local emergency room.

When you’re seated in the exam room and with the dentist for the first time, it is helpful to establish a rapport with the dentist:

• Introduce yourself and get familiarized with your surroundings as well. There may be a dental assistant or hygienist helping as well. If you need something to make you feel more comfortable, like blankets or reading materials, we will try to provide them.
• Try to clearly explain any dental problems at this time with the dentist, as he will be able to begin to formulate a plan of action for your examination.
• The dentist will examine your mouth, keeping in mind your comments and look for any additional problem areas.
• The dentist will “chart” his recommendations and begin to talk with you about his findings. Please note, the dentist’s recommendations are professional opinions and are not biased or predetermined.
• After talking with the dentist, you will have to decide which treatments have been recommended to proceed with. At Lakewood Cerritos Dental Center, we can help by clarifying the decision making process for the you.

After your initial examination is completed, you’ll be asked to choose which dental procedures to begin. You will mostly have questions specific to each type of procedure the dentist recommends. A treatment counselor will sit down and talk with you in their office to help answer any additional questions you may have. The treatment counselor will explain the steps involved, go over the costs of these treatments, and explain any insurance plan restrictions or patient co-payments associated with it. You will receive a list of the procedures recommended by the examining dentist, along with the costs attached. In cases with insurance, the patient's co-payments are attached. The patient can see how much work is to be prescribed and how much the cost will be. This allows you to make the choices responsibly. This way, we can place greater assurances on the quality of your dental care. With your procedural questions answered, you are now better able to decide what should be done. Once you have agreed to the procedure, you’ll be asked to sign a statement listing all the procedures that you have agreed to. This statement is called a treatment plan, because this is a list of the treatments planned. This is to verify in writing that you are aware of the procedures and the costs involved. By signing this statement you authorize us to begin with the treatments on this statement. Do not sign this statement if you are unsure of any information contained in the document that you are signing! We cannot begin treatment until the statement is signed.

When your initial examination is completed, you'll be asked to choose which dental procedures to begin.

There are many financial factors that can influence your decision as well, which may include the following:

• The cost of your dental work that may be beyond your budget.
• Your insurance plan may require a co-payment, meaning that you are responsible for a portion of the dental costs.
• You may have used up all your insurance benefits for the period or year, meaning you could be responsible for the cost of the treatment.
• Your insurance plan may not cover your particular treatment. You may be responsible for the treatment cost.

These and other things may make you want to wait to perform certain dental procedures. Be aware that any problems that exist regarding your teeth may worsen over time.

At Lakewood Cerritos Dental Center, we understand these considerations, so we have allowed our managers to offer payment plans and payment options. These financing plans are designed to help you pay for the dental work through terms and monthly payments, spreading the cost over a longer period. This is especially useful when purchasing braces for your children, which can be expensive.