Thank you for choosing Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) to meet your oral healthcare needs. We strive to provide high-quality care at a reasonable cost. To achieve this goal, we need you to understand and agree to our Patient Payment for Services Policy in our Emergency, Comprehensive Care, Pediatric, and specialty care clinics.
TUSDM does not provide free care. For most patients, payment is due at the time of service. The fees for our services are reviewed every year and may be adjusted when necessary.
EMERGENCY DENTAL CARE
TUSDM provides walk-in Emergency Clinic services for patients seeking same-day treatment for urgent dental needs. Emergency treatment is limited to services to relieve pain and prevent infection. Patients seen in the Emergency Clinic will be responsible for an initial examination fee. Additional treatment options and costs will then be presented to the patient so that they are aware of their financial responsibility before agreeing to further treatment.
PATIENTS WITHOUT INSURANCE
Payment is due in full at the beginning of each appointment; however, in some cases we will be able to assist you in making payment arrangements for major or staged treatment based upon the type of services planned and the clinic in which you are seen. The Clinic Business Office will assist you in making these arrangements, but they must be made before treatment begins.
For your convenience, we accept multiple forms of payment, including cash, personal checks, flexible spending account debit cards, major credit cards (e.g., MasterCard, Visa, Discover). We also offer payment plan options through a third-party vendor, Lending Club Patient Solutions.
PATIENTS WITH DENTAL OR MEDICAL INSURANCE
TUSDM accepts most commercial dental insurance plans, as well as MassHealth and Medicare. Most dental insurance carriers set deductibles, co-insurance payments, exclusions, and other coverage limitations. As a courtesy, members of the Clinic Business Office or clinic staff will process pre-estimates and pre-authorizations and assist you when possible, but it is your responsibility to know your benefits and coverage limitation.
Some of our specialty care clinics (e.g., Oral Surgery, Craniofacial Pain Center) accept medical insurance. If our oral care providers are contracted with your medical insurance carrier, we will bill your medical insurance. Depending on your medical insurance coverage, you may have to pay for some part of the cost of treatment. If our providers are not contracted (or “out-of-network”) with your dental or medical insurance, you may be required to pay part or all of your treatment costs. Members of the Clinic Business Office or Clinic staff will help you with your questions about treatment fees and insurance.
You are expected to pay for any services that your carrier does not cover on the day you receive treatment; however, in some cases we will be able to assist you in making payment arrangements for major or staged treatment based upon the type of services planned and the department in which you are seen.
PATIENTS WITH MASSHEALTH OR MEDICARE
Patients are required to provide a valid ID, eligibility information, a current address, and a valid MassHealth or Medicare card at each appointment to verify coverage. If we cannot confirm that your coverage is active on a particular date, you must pay in full for the visit or reschedule your appointment. You may decide that you want to receive services that MassHealth or Medicare will not cover. If so, you will be asked to sign a Medicare Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) or MassHeath Member Agreement to Pay for Non-Covered Services stating that you will be financially responsible for the specific services that are not covered.
PATIENT APPOINTMENT CHECK-IN REQUIREMENT
Patients must personally check in at a patient reception desk prior to every appointment to review the status of their account and pay any amount due before receiving treatment.
PROVIDER LEVELS
TUSDM is a teaching facility. Students and residents work under the supervision of faculty to provide patient care. Faculty who are licensed dentists, limited-licensed dentists, specialists, and medical doctors also may provide direct care; they may be assisted by residents. The time commitment and fees for your treatment may vary by the level of provider and the types of services you require. Treatment provided by students may require a significant time commitment and treatment may extend over several months and may involve multiple students based on your dental treatment plan.
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Provider |
Clinic |
Fees |
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DMD Student (Predoctoral student studying to be a dentist who is closely supervised by faculty) |
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Fees are up to 50% less than Boston-area private practices. |
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Resident in Specialty Program (Postdoctoral student who is already a licensed dentist, studying to become a specialist and whose work is overseen by faculty) |
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Prices and policies vary, but fees are generally 25 to 50% less than Boston-area private practices. |
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Faculty (Licensed dentists and medical specialists who may be assisted by residents in specialty programs)
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Prices and policies vary, but fees are comparable to Boston-area private practices. |
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Faculty Practitioner (Licensed dentists and limited-licensed dentists and specialists who are not assisted by DMD students or residents in specialty programs) |
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Fees are comparable to Boston-area private practices. If your dental or medical needs require surgery be performed at Tufts Medical Center, additional fees may apply. |
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Visit our website https://dental.tufts.edu/patient-care/teaching-clinics for links to all teaching clinics. The “Clinic Overview” for each clinic includes the services offered, provider level, forms of insurance and payment accepted, and referral requirements. |
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
At the time of your initial appointment, you will be required to electronically sign a form stating: “I understand and agree to accept my responsibility to pay for services I receive as a patient of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM). I also understand that if I do not meet this responsibility, I may be referred to a collection agency and/or dismissed as a patient of TUSDM.”
Patients who do not sign the acknowledgement are ineligible for services at TUSDM.