With all of the options available to folks these days, Dr. Steve Driggers at Sonshine Family Dental would like to take this opportunity to talk about the difference between “fee for service” insurance plans and PPO dental plans and why Sonshine Family Dental is set apart from the big corporate dental offices.
In his blog, Dr. Driggers explains the difference and why Sonshine Family Dental doesn’t take PPO plans. With traditional “fee for service” plans, which were the original insurance plans, the patient pays either a fixed fee or a percentage of the fee charged by the dentist. The fee charged by the dentist is referred to as “usual and customary” and varies with each provider based on the location of the office. These plans usually pay the charges submitted regardless of who performs the service, giving the patient more options to see the providers they choose and entrust with their dental care.
The PPO plans, or “preferred provider organizations,” offer dental services to plan members at reduced rates. These plans give the patient a list of providers they can see within the network, or sometimes the patient can go “out of network” to a non-participating dentist at a higher cost and lower reimbursement for the patient. By accepting the network plans, the provider gets paid less for each service.
As a potential patient, you may ask, “Why doesn’t Dr. Driggers take PPO plans?” “At Sonshine Family Dental, we want to give our patients the best quality care we can provide,” Dr. Driggers says. “Not always, but oftentimes, network providers are forced to see as many patients as possible to make up for lower reimbursements and ultimately spend less time with each patient. If you want better care and more time with your dentist, pick a traditional ‘fee for service’ plan,” Dr. Driggers states.
Dr. Driggers explained that Sonshine Family Dental is not a coupon practice. “If people come to our office, they are getting more attention and a detailed, long-term plan,” he said. “They won’t get the same thing with a PPO. There are a lot of people who visit a dentist with a coupon, use their PPO and then never go back. We place strong emphasis on prevention and education, teaching our patients about good oral health which will in turn create a desire for them to take better care of their teeth at home and at their regular check-ups. Creating a treatment plan for each patient is something we put time into, so we can help the patient in achieving optimal dental health,” Dr. Driggers stated. “I’m a perfectionist, and the patients can sense that I am doing what is right for their long-term overall health.”
Dr. Driggers was named among the top dentists in Indianapolis by other dentists and specialists in the area for three years in a row in Indianapolis Monthly. Dr. Driggers began practicing in 1987 on the west side of Indianapolis. “I still have some of the patients who saw the previous dentist in the 1960s and 1970s,” Dr. Driggers noted. “They are like family, and we love seeing our patients return.” In fact, he has many patients who were kids when they started coming in to see him almost 30 years ago. Now, as adults, they are bringing in their own families.
“It gives me great satisfaction to know they want to keep coming back to get quality care,” he said. “We have always been more relationship-based than money-driven.” Over the years, Dr. Driggers and his staff have gone to great lengths to make patients feel welcomed and relaxed during their dental visits. The waiting room has a large selection of current magazines, different coffees and teas, bottled waters and a play table for the kids.
During his free time, Dr. Driggers enjoys golf, fishing, tinkering around with his 1964 Falcon and spending time with his wife Shellie and their son Sam, who is in his third year of dental school. “I can’t wait for him to join us here, and I look forward to him carrying on our legacy of excellence.”
