Patient Information.

Patient Rights
Before Your First Visit

Patient Rights

You have a right to see the dentist every time you receive dental treatment.
You have a right to ask about treatment alternatives and to be told, in language you can understand, the advantages and disadvantages of each.
You have a right to know the education and training of your dentist and the dental team.
You have a right to know in advance the type and expected cost of the treatment.
You have a right to expect dental team members to use appropriate infection and sterilization controls.
You have a right to ask your dentist to explain all the treatment options regardless of coverage or cost.
You have a right to be treated in a professional and ethical manner by your dentist and dental team.
You should have the right to schedule an appointment with the dentist of your choice.

American Dental Association leads fight for patient rights

The American Dental Association has supported legislation that will set a few basic rules to promote high-quality care and protect patients in our increasingly bottom line-driven health care system.

ADA member dentists have been instrumental in moving the patients' rights issue into the national limelight. The nation appears closer than ever to finally seeing a comprehensive patients' bill of rights passed into law.

While Congress debates various versions of patient rights legislation, the insurance and managed care industries have long supported legislation that would fail to protect all privately insured Americans against unfair delays and denials of coverage by their health plans, according to the ADA. Some ill-fated bills left out critical protections such as guaranteeing people the option of choosing their own doctors or creating mechanisms to address patients' grievances against health plans. One proposal even omitted freestanding dental plans which could have left more than 120 million dental patients without these vital protections.

The American Dental Association continues to lobby for the enactment of bipartisan legislation to help ensure that health plans treat patients fairly and do not discriminate against dentists. Here are some of the key issues identified by the ADA:

• Coverage for freestanding dental plans account for the vast majority of Americans who have dental coverage.
• Patient choice, by guaranteeing access to at least one plan with a point-of-service option that allows patients the opportunity to choose their own doctors.
• Health plan accountability through the availability of impartial, external review and by holding plans accountable when their decisions to delay or deny care, harm patients.

Before Your First Visit

The worst part is over and you've taken the leap and scheduled that long-overdue dentist appointment.

Now, do your homework. Being well-prepared for your dental appointment will ensure that your dentist has all of the needed information to provide the best possible care for you. It also will help relieve any unnecessary anxiety you may be feeling. Educate yourself on your symptoms by reviewing the content on this Web site. Prepare a list of questions for your dentist beforehand, and bring the list with you so you may obtain all of the answers you need to make good, sound decisions about your dental care and oral health.