We say that providing quality care is our mission, but we don’t often share the details of how we fulfill that mission. Let us share a little background on what is involved in providing your dental care.
Dental Care and Treatment Take a Lot of Time
Everything we do in service to your care is hands-on. One of our team is beside you, administering one treatment or another, the entire time you are here. When you have your teeth cleaned, our hygienist is beside you to administer that treatment. We don’t attach a machine to your teeth and leave you while it cleans and polishes them, then return simply to remove the machine and say, “All done!” When your appointment is with Dr. Radkey, his time is devoted to diagnosing and treating whatever condition you present. Of course, the time involved will vary depending upon the treatment that is required.
Dental Care Requires Knowledge
It may sound like a no-brainer, but every team member in our office has spent a lot of time acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to provide you with the best in dental care. Each has the necessary degreed background when required for their position. Each also devotes additional time to continuing education courses to maintain and advance their knowledge and skill. Dr. Radkey has spent years in formal education, not to mention hundreds of hours of advanced programs and continuing education. We do all of this, partly because some of it is required to practice, but also because it is important to us to bring you the best dental care available.
Dental Care Requires Equipment and Technology
Our office isn’t stuck in the ’90s with old technology. Beyond the obvious dental chair and instruments, Dr. Radkey researches and adds the most up-to-date technological advances in dentistry when he thinks it is appropriate. As you may know, buying the latest technology isn’t cheap, but he doesn’t cut corners because it would defeat our mission of providing you with the best care we can.
We Will Complete and File Insurance Forms
We know that dental insurance can be a helpful benefit. We do not participate as a provider with any insurance companies; however, if you have dental insurance, we will be happy to bill and file with them on your behalf. We provide some insight into why we do not participate in insurance plans in the following sections.
Dental Care Is Not a Commodity
Dental insurance companies treat dental care as if it is the same at every office, which you know it is not. There is a definite difference from one office to another in quality of care, knowledge, and skill, yet each provider is compensated equally by these insurance companies, without regard to the amount of time spent on a treatment or the resulting quality of the work.
Insurance Companies Want to Make a Profit
Dental insurance companies collect premiums from employers and their employees and pay providers from those proceeds. The insurance companies’ “profit” is produced by limiting the amount they pay for your dental treatment to the lowest possible amount. Such low compensation is not enough to even pay the bills at most dental offices, much less allow for the addition of new equipment, and more.
We Want You to Have the Best Dental Care Available
It requires a lot of time, skill, continuing education, and up-to-date equipment to deliver quality dental care. Ultimately, my team and I share our time with you — it’s all we have. We don’t want to cut that time short to rush more patients through the office so we can “pay the bills” by providing inferior care for inferior compensation.
We will continue to fulfill our mission to provide the best dental care possible to you by devoting the time and attention we feel is necessary to complete your treatment. We serve Seattle and the surrounding area. If you want to benefit from our years of experience, skill, and devotion to your care, please contact my office to schedule an appointment today. We look forward to serving you.REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT
