Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of questions our office has been asked by various patients/parents that we feel other patients/parents may have been wondering themselves. We hope you find the questions and answers informative and helpful!
What are your office hours?
Office hours for our pediatric patients are Monday and Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Office hours for our orthodontic patients are Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Why does your office have office hours Monday through Thursday and none on Friday?
We have a full schedule of patients that require treatment that cannot be performed in our office and are therefore completed at our local hospital. Friday is the day reserved for the doctors to perform these cases.
What is your policy for scheduling young children in your office?
Our policy is to see children seven years and younger in the morning from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. With a good night of rest, younger children tend to have more tolerance and patience with any procedure along with our staff, resulting in a better appointment for the patient. Our afternoon appointments are reserved for our patients eight and older (especially during examination periods).
What kind of insurance do you accept and can I pay with a credit card if I owe money at the end of my child’s appointment?
We gladly accept most insurance and will file your claims for you. We ask that if your child is covered by dental insurance, please bring the insurance card with you at the time of your child’s appointment. We accept Visa, MasterCard, CareCredit, check, and cash payments.
*Please note that any coverage you may have is a benefit, and dental insurance is not intended to cover all of your dental expenses. Once your child is examined by the doctor, a treatment plan will be generated by the computer based on your estimated insurance benefits. Please keep in mind that the estimate presented to you is only an estimate and is different with each case and insurance company depending on how much of your benefits you have previously used. The treatment plan will be reviewed by you and the doctor at the time of your appointment and office personnel prior to any major dental work is initiated. You will receive a copy of this treatment plan at the end of your visit.
How often is your play ground area cleaned?
The playground areas in all of our offices are cleaned every two weeks by a company called Good Clean Fun. This is a professional cleaning company that specializes in cleaning large play areas. In addition to our playground areas being professionally cleaned, all of the video game controllers are cleaned twice a day.
Do you see children with special needs?
Absolutely! All of the doctors at APDA have received advanced training to manage patients with special needs. Our staff members have also been trained on the specific needs necessary to handle a special needs child. All of our offices are specially designed to be physically accessible for our special patients.
If there is a child that has a hard time with not wanting his/her teeth cleaned, what do you do for this type of child?
All of our staff members and doctors are highly trained in working with children in any situation during their dental visit with us. When we have a new patient, sometimes we are unsure of how the patient will react to the care he/she will receive. We will treat this patient the same as any other unless there are signs that the patient is unhappy, frightened, nervous, etc.
As many of you parents out there know, each child can react differently under the same circumstances as the next child and sometimes (depending on the child’s mood for that moment) it is very hard to tell how the child will behave. We have several rooms dedicated to the children that do better being in a room by themselves, or require additional assistance.
Is there a way my child can see a certain doctor or hygienist for each appointment?
You certainly can. All you need to do is let the staff member who is scheduling your child’s next appointment know the doctor/hygienist it is you would like to see on your next visit. However, please keep in mind that there may be a time where the doctor/hygienist you have requested is out due to an emergency, illness, family matter, etc, therefore your child will be seen by the other doctor/hygienist in the office for that day.
Can I go back with my child when he/she is taken to the treatment area?
We prefer new families go back with their children and tour our office. This promotes comfort for you and your child. Parents are welcome to stay with their children during any treatment. We do however encourage you to remain in the reception area after the first visit if possible. Our goal is to help children develop independence and to enhance communication with the doctors and staff. Over years we have noticed some parents choose to remain with their children in the treatment area; however, most parents find it more comfortable to wait in the reception area or our parent waiting rooms.
When my child and I came to one of your offices, I noticed your patient chairs are in one big open area and my child loved it! Do all of your offices have the open area’s like the one my child had his appointment?
All of our departments (operatory, hygiene, and orthodontic) are designed to have an open, friendly environment and atmosphere. APDA decided to have open bay area’s in order to help our patients feel comfortable with their surroundings and to see other patients (like themselves) being treated by our staff members and the doctors. *For a better understanding of how our bay areas are designed, please view the virtual tour of our offices located under the Our Office link at the top of our web page.
Is the x-ray technology you have in your offices safe?
APDA utilizes digital radiographic technology that enables reduced x-ray exposure compared to older film techniques. In addition, the computerized images are easier to read and display. You and your child are able to view these images with the doctor on the flat screen computer monitors we have located at each dental station. All of our offices are equipped with this same technology.
The digital (cavity detecting) x-rays are taken one time per year and digital panorex (growth) x-rays are taken every three years depending on insurance coverage. If you would like to have one done before the allotted time frame that is given by your insurance provider, we will be more than happy to do so, but please keep in mind you will be charged a fee.
How come I have received more than one survey about my child’s latest visit?
APDA is currently e-mailing surveys to our patient and parents asking 9 questions about the child’s most recent visit to our office. These surveys are automatically generated through the computer software system we currently use. You will receive a survey for each visit per child that had an appointment in our office. We apologize for any inconvenience you may receive in receiving duplicate surveys. Unfortunately, due to the computer automatically generating the surveys, we are unable to limit the number of surveys you receive. We are working diligently to resolve this issue.
These surveys are intended to help us help YOU! The answers to your questions and the comments you are able to leave at the end of survey are reviewed daily and the results are shared with the doctors and staff in order to make our practice the best for our patients. In fact, some of the questions on this page came from the questions we have received on our surveys.
Why should I take my child to Alabama Pediatric Dental Associates & Orthodontics?
We take great pride in offering all of our patients the best dental care available in the Tennessee Valley area. We strive each day to meet and exceed the expectations of patients and their families. If at the end of any visit our parents or patients are not 100% happy and satisfied with our practice, we encourage them to contact us immediately and we will do the best we can to resolve any issue. In addition, APDA always has a doctor on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week for our current pediatric and orthodontic patients emergency needs.