We love reviews. They tell us how we are doing, and how we can improve our service to you. We are now asking our patients to use Google Reviews. SO here's how:
1) go to Google.com.
2) search Cascadia Dentistry.
3) click on “reviews” or “write a review.”
4) Google will reroute you to our Google Maps aps page. You will have to log in or register an account.
5) you will then be directed to the Cascadia review page as you sign in.
And thanks for the feedback!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
February is Heart Health Month!
February is American Heart Health Month. Throughout the month, we are educating patients and bringing attention to the health link of oral disease and heart disease. We know that this is an important concept in your wellness, so we invite you to share in this opportunity.
We are proud of our education and experience over the last 12 years in treating the entire spectrum of periodontal disease patients, from non-surgical disinfection to surgical debridement and tissue regeneration. We have information about how we recognize and treat the disease at our website.
We encourage you to review the enclosed web links that share research on the subject of the oral-systemic link between plaque build-up in the mouth and the effect on the heart. We also encourage you to share any research on this subject with us.
http://www.perio.org/consumer/perio_cardio.htm
http://www.joponline.org/toc/jop/79/8s
http://dentistryhasaheart.com/articles.html
Many patients don’t know they are at risk. A self-assessment tool for you to use is at www.mydentalscore.com. It takes two minutes to assess your risk for disease. If you find you're at risk for heart disease or periodontal disease, we invite you to our office during the month of February for a periodontal disease screening at no cost to you.
Thanks for having a heart!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Maybe medical insurance...?
We cannot guess what reimbursements exist for medical applications in dentistry. We have to rely on many resources and colleagues to help us over the hurdles when patients ask us to help them wade through the medical claims arena.
We have improve our relationships with medical insurers over the past 5-10 years. We now see a more common reimbursement for temporomandibular (TMJ) therapy, head pain therapy, implant surgery, and a few other services. But it's not a guarantee. Every patient has a different policy with different terms. But we do check, and we notice the climate for medical reimbursement is a bit more sunny for patients than it used to be.
Recently, the pharmaceutical company Allergan invited me to sign on to a Botox reimbursement service. Allergan has counselors who do the homework on behalf of head pain/TMJ patients who want to submit requests for medical reimbursement. The first encounters with the process have been positive.
I was unaware that patients have the potential to receive significant help with payment for Botox therapy as it relates to chronic pain, like migraine, TMJ, and intractable muscular tension pain in the head and neck. WHen I read the summaries from the counselors for my own wife, I was upbeat. There is coverage that can be preauthorized.
So I am inviting patients who want treatment with chronic head, jaw, and neck pain to consult with our office. I always take the position that our patients prepare to make full payment for the therapy. But the potential for reimbursement is more of a reality today.
We have improve our relationships with medical insurers over the past 5-10 years. We now see a more common reimbursement for temporomandibular (TMJ) therapy, head pain therapy, implant surgery, and a few other services. But it's not a guarantee. Every patient has a different policy with different terms. But we do check, and we notice the climate for medical reimbursement is a bit more sunny for patients than it used to be.
Recently, the pharmaceutical company Allergan invited me to sign on to a Botox reimbursement service. Allergan has counselors who do the homework on behalf of head pain/TMJ patients who want to submit requests for medical reimbursement. The first encounters with the process have been positive.
I was unaware that patients have the potential to receive significant help with payment for Botox therapy as it relates to chronic pain, like migraine, TMJ, and intractable muscular tension pain in the head and neck. WHen I read the summaries from the counselors for my own wife, I was upbeat. There is coverage that can be preauthorized.
So I am inviting patients who want treatment with chronic head, jaw, and neck pain to consult with our office. I always take the position that our patients prepare to make full payment for the therapy. But the potential for reimbursement is more of a reality today.
A Constant Challenge, But A Happy Medium Does Exist!
The internet is amazing. I have access to perspectives about my dental practice and how it affects people I probably know, but never get the chance to discuss it face-to-face. I came across this comment today. It was posted in 2009.
"We began using Dr Rafoth over two years ago and at the time asked if they are providers for our insurance, Washington Dental. We were told they are providers and bill our insurance. Over the years we always asked and wondered why it seemed we were paying so much and the standard response from the staff at Cascadia was "that's just what your insurance paid and the rest is your balance". I finally called around and found that the prices at Cascadia were way higher than other offices. When I called to discuss this Cascadia staff finally disclosed they are not 'preferred' providers for Washington Dental, they are only 'contract' providers and that it is up to the patient to know this. I was infuriated as with a family of five we have spent thousands with his office, and could have saved 40% or more by using a real provider accepted by our insurance company. Later the same day I spoke with a parent at one of our local schools who stated Dr Rafoths Cascadia Dentistry had done the exact same thing to her family, costing her hundreds of dollars before she figured it out. Be careful folks. They will tell you they bill your insurance and are providers without disclosing they are not 'preferred' providers. Know also that my husband had a cap come loose almost immediately after Dr Rafoth did the procedure and we had to pay for him to fix it."
As the dentist and owner of Cascadia Dentistry, I have to say I'm glad this comment was posted. is a valid and not uncommon complaint that gets to the heart of the dental insurance issue that all patients face. In addition, it is a challenge to support a family with affordable dental care.
The continued rise in healthcare costs and stubborn restrictions of insurance policymakers make it tough for both patients and doctors to succeed in a healthcare relationship. Does a family forgo great dental care from a doctor they appreciate for their family because of the rising costs? That's a tough one to answer, because dental insurance plans have historically been poor at offering a relatively similar level reimbursement as the medical industry. Another important question to consider: Does a doctor or dental practice decide to reduce their fees and their delivery of comfortable, effective, and long-lasting care? This is a tough one, too, because healthcare is expensive to deliver if it is to be done with high quality.
My feelings about this issue have vacillated since this comment was posted three years ago. I made a personal decision in the wake of the economic downturn of 2008-2010 to become a contracted, preferred provider for Washington Dental Service, the largest insurance provider in our community. Up until then, I had wanted to offer a high level of service and the best technology available to my patients without signing an insurance company contract that would limit payment for delivering the expensive services I provide. But the trend for patient expenses has not fallen at all in the past 13 years I have been in Stanwood. So I felt that I had to engage a plan that would reduce my fees for dentistry in a few ways, and allow a greater number of patients to have better access to the same high-quality dentistry I have always provided. Here we are in 2012, and there is yet another project I am undertaking to improve patient access to less expensive care in our office without compromising quality. I will keep the neighborhood posted as it is ready to roll.
I am glad that the person who posted this comment made the effort to research how their insurance plan reimbursement affects their family. I think that is an essential part of being a well-informed patient, and it strengthens the doctor-patient relationship. I encourage all patients to do the same.
"We began using Dr Rafoth over two years ago and at the time asked if they are providers for our insurance, Washington Dental. We were told they are providers and bill our insurance. Over the years we always asked and wondered why it seemed we were paying so much and the standard response from the staff at Cascadia was "that's just what your insurance paid and the rest is your balance". I finally called around and found that the prices at Cascadia were way higher than other offices. When I called to discuss this Cascadia staff finally disclosed they are not 'preferred' providers for Washington Dental, they are only 'contract' providers and that it is up to the patient to know this. I was infuriated as with a family of five we have spent thousands with his office, and could have saved 40% or more by using a real provider accepted by our insurance company. Later the same day I spoke with a parent at one of our local schools who stated Dr Rafoths Cascadia Dentistry had done the exact same thing to her family, costing her hundreds of dollars before she figured it out. Be careful folks. They will tell you they bill your insurance and are providers without disclosing they are not 'preferred' providers. Know also that my husband had a cap come loose almost immediately after Dr Rafoth did the procedure and we had to pay for him to fix it."
As the dentist and owner of Cascadia Dentistry, I have to say I'm glad this comment was posted. is a valid and not uncommon complaint that gets to the heart of the dental insurance issue that all patients face. In addition, it is a challenge to support a family with affordable dental care.
The continued rise in healthcare costs and stubborn restrictions of insurance policymakers make it tough for both patients and doctors to succeed in a healthcare relationship. Does a family forgo great dental care from a doctor they appreciate for their family because of the rising costs? That's a tough one to answer, because dental insurance plans have historically been poor at offering a relatively similar level reimbursement as the medical industry. Another important question to consider: Does a doctor or dental practice decide to reduce their fees and their delivery of comfortable, effective, and long-lasting care? This is a tough one, too, because healthcare is expensive to deliver if it is to be done with high quality.
My feelings about this issue have vacillated since this comment was posted three years ago. I made a personal decision in the wake of the economic downturn of 2008-2010 to become a contracted, preferred provider for Washington Dental Service, the largest insurance provider in our community. Up until then, I had wanted to offer a high level of service and the best technology available to my patients without signing an insurance company contract that would limit payment for delivering the expensive services I provide. But the trend for patient expenses has not fallen at all in the past 13 years I have been in Stanwood. So I felt that I had to engage a plan that would reduce my fees for dentistry in a few ways, and allow a greater number of patients to have better access to the same high-quality dentistry I have always provided. Here we are in 2012, and there is yet another project I am undertaking to improve patient access to less expensive care in our office without compromising quality. I will keep the neighborhood posted as it is ready to roll.
I am glad that the person who posted this comment made the effort to research how their insurance plan reimbursement affects their family. I think that is an essential part of being a well-informed patient, and it strengthens the doctor-patient relationship. I encourage all patients to do the same.
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