We accept and file all dental insurances
Our office accepts and works with all major dental insurance companies. We offer you the ultimate in convenience and flexibility, and are happy to file your primary insurance claim, and answer any questions you have about your plan. We have worked with plans from many dental insurances, including the following networks:
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Understanding Dental Insurance (A Clearer, Calmer Explanation)
Dental insurance can be one of the most confusing parts of caring for your child’s health. Even families who work in healthcare are often surprised by how dental benefits actually function. If you’ve ever wondered why coverage didn’t work the way you expected, you’re another parent in very good company.
Our goal is to make this process as clear and stress-free as possible, so you can focus on what really matters—your child’s health—without feeling caught off guard or overwhelmed.
Our Relationship Is With Your Child, Not the Insurance Company
At High House Pediatric Dentistry, your child’s wellbeing always comes first. As a healthcare provider, our professional responsibility is to your child—not to an insurance company or benefit administrator. That means Dr. Ray will always recommend care based on what your child needs to stay comfortable, healthy, and developing normally.
Dental insurance can be a helpful tool for covering part of the cost of care, but it does not define what appropriate care is. Insurance companies don’t examine your child, monitor growth, or consider developmental timing. We do—and our recommendations reflect that.
Do We Take Your Insurance?
We are in-network with most major dental insurance plans commonly used by families in the area. We work with the majority of PPO plans offered through employers. If you’re unsure whether we accept your specific plan, please call our office. Many smaller plans participate under larger umbrella networks, and we’re happy to help you sort that out before your visit.
What “In-Network” Really Means
Being “in-network” simply means that we have agreed to a contracted fee schedule with your insurance company. These contracted rates are usually lower than standard fees and are designed to help families stretch their dental benefits further.
A helpful way to think about dental insurance is like a membership discount—not a prepaid service. Your insurance gives you access to reduced pricing and partial reimbursement, but it doesn’t eliminate out-of-pocket costs entirely.
When we are in-network with your plan, we handle all insurance filing on your behalf and apply the contracted rates automatically. This typically results in lower costs and fewer administrative steps for families.
How Dental Insurance Typically Pays
Most dental plans in our area pay between 50% and 80% of what they consider an “allowable” fee for a covered service. Very few plans pay 100%, and nearly all include deductibles, annual maximums, and limits on how often certain services are covered.
For example, if a procedure costs $150 and your plan has a $50 deductible with 80% coverage, the deductible is applied first. Insurance then pays 80% of the remaining amount, and the rest becomes the parent’s responsibility. This is a common structure and not an error or unusual outcome.
Because insurance plans vary widely based on employer contracts, we don’t control how much a plan pays or how often a service is covered. What we can do is help you understand your benefits, submit claims accurately, and estimate costs as clearly as possible before treatment.
If Insurance Doesn’t Cover It, Does My Child Really Need It?
This is a very common and very reasonable question. The short answer is if we recommend it as a treatment option, then your child needs it (or one of the other options given).
Dental insurance policies are designed to manage costs for the insurance company—not to tailor care to individual children. Coverage decisions are often based on age cutoffs, frequency limits, or outdated fee schedules rather than current clinical guidelines.
Dr. Ray’s recommendations are based on your child’s specific risk factors, comfort, development, and long-term oral health. Sometimes the best care for a child is partially covered—or not covered at all—by insurance. When that happens, we take time to explain why the recommendation is being made and what alternatives may exist.
Our philosophy is simple: provide children with everything they need and nothing they don’t. We are thoughtful, conservative, and transparent in our approach, and we always discuss options with families.
No One Likes Financial Surprises—Us Included
We believe that clear information leads to better decisions and less stress. We are parents as well, and understand the frustration of being told one thing, and then having someone change the information later on. Before treatment is provided, we do our best to explain what is recommended, why it’s needed, and what your estimated financial responsibility will be.
Insurance estimates are based on information provided directly by your insurance company. Unfortunately, that information can sometimes be incomplete or inaccurate. If an issue arises, our team will work with you to contact the insurance company and help resolve it whenever possible.
Your estimated portion is due on the day of service. This includes deductibles, co-payments, and any services not covered by your plan. We accept cash, checks, all major credit cards, and CareCredit for families who prefer payment plans. We are unable to schedule appointments if there is a balance on the family account.
Options for Families Without Dental Insurance
If your child does not have dental insurance, we offer an in-house membership plan designed to make preventive and restorative care affordable and predictable. This plan includes exams, cleanings, and X-rays, along with discounted fees on most treatments—without annual maximums or claim denials.
We’re happy to talk through whether this option might be a good fit for your family.
The Bottom Line
Dental insurance can be helpful, but it isn’t simple—and it isn’t designed to cover everything. Our commitment is to be honest, clear, and supportive, while helping you navigate the system without pressure or confusion.
We have invested in making a practice where families feel welcome, where we advocate for their childs’ needs, and maintaining an outstanding level of care, while still accepting dental insurances, meeting the needs of our families in Cary and beyond, and making sure that we will be here for generations to come.
If you ever have questions about coverage, costs, or treatment recommendations, please ask. We’re always happy to talk things through and help you make the best decision for your child and your family. We’re here to help.