67 -- Discussing Cost of Care with Patients

The title really says it all. Patients want to know how much things will cost. Sometimes they want to know this more than they want to know what the problem is and all the treatment options available. In addition, dental insurance complicates things a great deal. We will likely not eliminate their importance in the financial planning our patients will make to determine the dental care they will decide to accept, but we can help them understand why at times what dental insurance covers is not what we recommend.  My discussion is obviously focused on periodontal topics but broader principles are present under the surface.