What out-of-network means
A dental office is in-network with a PPO plan when it has signed a contract with that plan's network. In Line Dentistry is in-network with eight: Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Delta Dental (Premier and PPO), Guardian, Humana, MetLife and UnitedHealthcare. With other PPO plans it is out-of-network, which means it has not signed with that plan's network. It does not mean your PPO plan is unwelcome here: out-of-network PPO patients are seen exactly the way this guide describes.
A PPO plan is built to pay toward care outside its network as well as inside it. How much it pays for out-of-network care is set by your plan, which is why the office checks your benefits before you arrive rather than guessing at the chair.
How it works at In Line, step by step
- Share your plan details. When you book online or call, give the office your carrier and member ID. That is all it needs to start.
- The office verifies your benefits. Your coverage is checked with your carrier before you arrive, free and with no obligation.
- You get an estimate beforehand. You see what your plan is expected to cover and what your share is, in writing, before any treatment starts.
- You pay at the visit. Payment is made to the practice on the day.
- In Line files your claim the same day. The office sends the claim to your insurer, so there is no claim form for you to chase.
- Your insurer reimburses you. The plan pays its share back to you, according to your plan's out-of-network benefits.
Your first visit
The new patient visit is $95 flat, or $0 with an active PPO plan. It covers the exam, digital X-rays and a cleaning. Plans that cover preventive care at 100% make those $0 out of pocket, and the benefits check before your visit tells you whether yours does. The new patients page and the guide to your first dental visit walk through the appointment.
Treatment beyond preventive care
For anything beyond a checkup, your written plan shows the insurance share and your share, line by line, before anything starts. The published prices on the pricing page are the cash prices: $1,990 per implant, porcelain veneers by tooth count, and the rest as an itemized written price at your exam. Insurance can only help from there. What a plan pays toward any given treatment depends on the plan, and the estimate is how you see that before you agree to it.
If the part that is yours is more than you want to pay at once, financing is available on approved credit through CareCredit, Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay, Sunbit, LendingClub and Proceed Finance. The lender sets the terms. See how financing works.
Insurance and membership together
Insurance and the In Line Member plan are not mutually exclusive. The membership is a discount plan, not insurance: Essential is $449 a year and Complete is $599 a year. Holding one does not rule out the other, and joining the membership does not replace your PPO. The membership page sets out what each plan includes, and the guide to membership vs insurance compares the two side by side.
If you do not have dental insurance
The published prices are the cash prices, so no insurance is needed to know what care costs. The new patient visit is $95 flat, or $0 with an active PPO plan, and at $95 it is one flat price with no insurance needed. The membership covers preventive care for one annual fee.
Dr. Chon sees patients on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the office answers calls, handles billing and books appointments Monday through Saturday. The insurance page has the whole process in one place.