Understand your benefits and costs
Insurance & Billing
Dental insurance can be confusing. Our team will help verify your plan, explain how available benefits may apply to recommended treatment, submit eligible claims, and provide an estimate of your expected responsibility whenever possible.
Insurance participation and benefits vary by plan. Union Family Dental does not accept Medicaid.
Understanding dental insurance
A benefit that contributes toward care
Dental insurance works differently from medical insurance. Most plans contribute toward eligible services up to an annual maximum rather than covering unlimited treatment.
| Category | Common examples | Typical coverage* |
|---|---|---|
| Preventive | Exams, cleanings, routine X-rays | 80–100% |
| Basic | Fillings, some extractions, periodontal treatment | 50–80% |
| Major | Crowns, bridges, dentures, some oral surgery | 40–60% |
| Implants | Implant placement and restoration | Varies by plan |
| Orthodontics | Braces and eligible orthodontic treatment | Varies; often a separate lifetime maximum |
*These are general examples only. Actual coverage depends entirely on your specific plan.
Think of it as an annual allowance
Your plan may pay a percentage until its annual maximum is reached
After that maximum has been used, additional treatment may become your responsibility until benefits renew. Even a service described as “covered” may still involve patient costs.
- Deductible
- The amount you may need to pay before the plan begins contributing to eligible care.
- Annual maximum
- The most the dental plan will pay during a benefit year.
- Coinsurance
- The percentage of an eligible service that remains your responsibility.
- Frequency limitation
- A restriction on how often a service may be covered.
- Waiting period
- A required period before certain benefits become available.
- Alternate benefit
- Payment based on a less costly covered treatment even when another option is selected.
Find your specific plan
Insurance brands and networks we work with
Participation can vary by exact product, network, employer group, and provider. Use our searchable insurance guide, then contact us so we can verify your individual plan.
Company and plan names are shown for identification only. Availability does not guarantee coverage or payment for a particular service.
View the complete plan list published by the practice
- AARP Medicare Advantage through Delta Dental
- Aetna and Aetna Basic Dental
- Aetna Dental Access, Aetna Vital Dental, and DP Complete discount plans
- Ameritas
- Anthem and Unicare BCBS 200/300
- Aon Dental Solutions Discount Plan 200
- Assurant Health and Assurant PPO
- Avia
- Careington Solutions Simplified
- Cigna and Cigna PPO
- Colonial
- Delta Dental of NM and Delta PPO
- Dental Option
- DHA Dental Health Alliance
- Emblem Health Preferred Plus (Access)
- Empire BCBS PPO Premium and FFS
- Family Grins and Family Grins Plus
- GEHA Connection Dental Network
- Grid
- Guardian Preferred
- Healthplex Independence
- Healthy Smiles and Healthy Smiles Plus
- Horizon BCBS plans
- Humana PPO and Humana Medicare
- Independence Plus plans
- Meritain Health through Aetna
- MetLife and MetLife PPO PDP Plus
- Principal
- Sun Life Dental
- Tricare PPO and Military
- United Concordia
- UnitedHealthcare PPO and Medicare plans
Before treatment
How insurance verification works
Verifying your plan helps create a useful estimate, but only your insurer can make the final benefit determination.
Call 908-460-8397- 01
Share your plan details
Have the policyholder name, member ID, date of birth, and insurer phone number ready.
- 02
Confirm participation
Our team can check whether the office participates with your specific network and review available benefit information.
- 03
Review your estimate
Before planned treatment, we explain the expected patient portion based on the information available.
- 04
Watch for the final determination
Your insurer processes benefits according to your policy. Estimates are not a guarantee of payment.
Estimates and final responsibility
Know what an insurance estimate can—and cannot—tell you
Before planned treatment, we use the information available from your carrier to estimate the insurance contribution and your expected portion. This helps you make an informed decision before care begins.
The estimate is not a guarantee of payment. Your carrier makes the final benefit determination after processing the claim, and your final responsibility may change.
Your balance may be affected by:
- Deductibles and coinsurance
- Annual or lifetime maximums
- Waiting periods and frequency limitations
- Exclusions, downgrades, and alternate benefits
- Previous claims or eligibility changes
- Coordination with primary or secondary coverage
- Differences between estimated and actual insurance payment
Any amount not paid by insurance remains the patient’s responsibility.
Helpful answers
Insurance and payment FAQs
Call the office when you need an answer about your individual plan, anticipated treatment, or payment options.
Union Family Dental accepts many plans, but participation depends on the exact network. Call with your insurance card so the team can verify your specific plan.
No. The practice’s current insurance information states that Medicaid is not accepted.
No. Estimates are based on information available before treatment. Your insurer makes the final decision according to eligibility, limitations, deductibles, annual maximums, and policy terms.
“Covered” does not necessarily mean covered at 100%. A deductible, coinsurance, annual maximum, allowed amount, downgrade, or frequency limitation may apply.
Bring a photo ID, your current dental insurance card, policyholder information, and a list of any questions about anticipated costs.
Ask about the Union Family Dental Membership Plan and available payment arrangements. For larger treatment plans, eligible patients may also apply for Cherry financing.
The practice’s Cherry information states that the application uses a soft credit check. Approval, available amounts, APR, and repayment terms are determined by Cherry.
We are here to help
Verify your coverage before your visit
Start with our searchable insurance guide, then contact us with your insurance card so we can confirm your specific plan.