When you visit our Lubbock, Texas office, we want you to make your dental experience with us as wonderful as possible. Part of this fulfillment is met by ensuring you are informed and confident that you are receiving the best in dental care. Please review our list below and click on any button to learn more about not only our dental practice but also your oral health. Thank you for choosing our office as your dental healthcare provider!

Please let us know if there is information we could include here. We want you to have answers to any questions you may have, so please do not hesitate to contact us via email or telephone. Our office can be reached at (806) 666-1099.

YOUR FIRST VISIT
MEMBERSHIP PLAN
Financing Options
Payment Plans

Patient Instructions

 It is almost time for your appointment with our team here at Lone Star Smiles. While Dr. Sutak and our team in Lubbock, Texas, will provide you with specific information before or immediately following your visit, there are some general guidelines you should follow, no matter what procedure you are about to visit us for. First and foremost, always practice good oral hygiene. Brush and floss before your visit with us, and follow any pre-procedure instructions you may have received. Bring a copy of your Driver License, list of current medications and or allergies, and most importantly your smile! Make sure also to follow any post-op instructions our team may provide.

General Guidelines for all procedures:

Avoid hard or sticky foods such as “chewie” sweets for at least 24 hours as chewing on these types of foods can loosen or damage a restoration. Never chew on ice. Follow all of our office’s guidelines, and most importantly, maintain proper dental hygiene. Additional instructions following various types of treatment are listed below. Please click on the below topics for detailed instructions. In the event of an emergency please call our office. If you are facing a serious or life-threatening situation, immediately dial 911 or go to the nearest ER.
Instructions Following Crown, Bridge, Inlay/Onlay
Instructions Following Fillings
Instructions Following Denture or Partial Delivery
Instructions Following Scaling and Root Planing
Instructions Following Root Canal Therapy
Instructions Following Crown Lengthening
Instructions Following Whitening
Instructions Following Extractions
Instructions Following Wisdom Teeth (3rd Molars) Removal
Instructions Following Implant Surgery/Implant Treatment

About Periodontal Disease

Did you know that gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss not only in the U.S. but worldwide? Gum disease can be broken down into multiple stages, the earliest stage being gingivitis. During this stage, simple changes in your oral hygiene regimen may be enough to reverse the gum disease. As gum disease progresses and becomes periodontitis, more serious care may be necessary.
If gum disease is detected during your visit, we will instruct you on steps regarding improved home care and recommend specialized treatment options in our office to eliminate the disease.

Symptoms of gum disease include:
  • Bleeding, dark red, or swollen gums
  • Chronic bad breath
  • Receding gum line
  • Increased space between teeth
  • Loose or loosening teeth
    • Periodontitis can result in bone and tooth loss if ignored and allowed to progress. Visiting our team for regular dental checkups is the easiest way for symptoms of gum disease to be detected in time for less intrusive care.

Oral Health and Wellness

While the options for the care we offer here at Lone Star Smiles are designed to help you maintain excellent oral health, you will likely only visit us a few times a year. This makes your oral hygiene and wellness care at home the most crucial aspect of your oral health and wellness. Maintaining strong, healthy teeth and gums is critical to oral health, a strong bite, and overall well-being. You can do this by keeping your mouth free of harmful bacteria, inflammation, and infection. Implants can assist individuals who have lost teeth recover and preserve their dental and general health by restoring natural teeth and reducing bone loss.

Excellent oral health can help you:
  • Maintain the bite/teeth needed to eat nourishing, healthy foods
  • Protect your body from illness and infection
  • Protect your mouth from pain and infection
  • Promote a good night’s sleep
  • Have good breath
  • Have confidence in your smile
It has been proven that there is an intrinsic link between oral health and general well-being. This is why we will help you watch for signs of developing diseases, infections, and other harmful symptoms that could be indicative of a more significant issue.

Dental Technology

If you look at a dental office from a decade ago and compare it to offices today, you will immediately notice how far dental technology has come. From digital X-ray technology to laser dentistry, there have been many positive advancements in dental technology. Our team here at Lone Star Smiles is constantly on the lookout for new technologies that we can introduce into our practice to make our patients’ visits with us better than before. Please check here for a list of the dental technologies we currently utilize.

  • Cone Beam Scanner 3D Imaging
  • Digital X-rays
  • 3D Digital Impressions/ Scanning
  • Laser
  • Electronic Apex Locator
  • Intraoral Cameras
  • Wi-Fi

Dental Emergencies

If you find yourself in a situation considered a dental emergency, don’t waste any time. Please call our office immediately so we can address your urgent issue.
Even if you are unsure if your situation is what would be considered an emergency, please call us at (806) 666-1099. If you are experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.
In case of toothache…Rinse your mouth with warm water and cautiously floss around the tooth to remove particles that may have become stuck in the tissue. If the pain persists or the region surrounding the afflicted tooth is heated, please contact our office to make an appointment.
If your lips, gums, cheeks, or tongue get cut…Apply ice to minimize swelling, and use a clean towel or sterilized gauze to stop bleeding. If bleeding persists, contact your doctor or go to your local emergency room.
If a baby tooth is knocked out…Call our office to set up an appointment. We will decide the optimal treatment choice. 
If a permanent tooth is knocked out…Call our office straight away and carry out the following steps: 
  1. Hold your tooth by the crown and carefully rinse with water without touching the root.
  2. Immediately return the tooth to its socket and secure it with clean gauze.
  3. If the tooth cannot be inserted into the socket, place it in a small bottle of milk or saliva and then bring it with you when you arrive for your appointment.
If a tooth becomes chipped or cracked…Gently cleanse the area with lukewarm water and apply a cold compress to the face to minimize swelling. If you can find part of the broken tooth, put it in milk and bring it to the office. If more than half of a tooth is broken off, please contact us right once.

Office Policy

Our practice firmly believes that a good doctor/patient relationship is based upon a clear understanding of office policies and an open line of communication. We are committed to providing you with the highest quality lifetime dental care, so that you may attain optimum oral health. The following are statements of our insurance policy, cancellation policy and financial policy, which we require that you read, agree to, and sign prior to any treatment.

Insurance Policy

Dental Insurance is very different from Medical Insurance, think of it as a dental coupon! Please review the insurance benefit booklet you received from your provider to better understand the benefits that are available as part of your insurance coverage. The portion of the patient’s payment covered by your policy varies based on the treatment.
Please understand that we will provide an insurance estimate to you, however, it is not a guarantee that your insurance will pay exactly as estimated. An estimate of the amount covered by your insurance company will be provided at the time of your treatment, based on the information they provide to us. The estimate is never a guarantee of benefits or the amount that will be paid. We will file all insurance claims as a courtesy to our patients. This does not, however, transfer the responsibility of your financial obligation to the insurance company. If the amount paid by the insurance company is less than or greater than the estimate, then you will be billed the difference or issued a credit on the account in the event of an overpayment. If payment is not received or your claim is denied, you will be responsible for paying the full amount at that time.We will cooperate fully with the regulations and requests of your insurance company that may assist in the claim being paid. Our office will not, however, enter into a dispute with your insurance company over any claim. Please let us know if you have questions about our financial policies or financing options prior to your treatment.

Cancellations and Missed Appointments

Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you and for you only. As a result, missed appointments or late cancellations disrupt our entire day. Lone Star Smiles is committed to providing exceptional care. Unfortunately, when one patient cancels without giving enough notice, they prevent another patient or emergencies from being seen. It also causes other offices to “overbook” appointments and to have long wait times.
CANCELLATION POLICY: IF IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO RESCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT, WE REQUEST THE COURTESY OF 24-HOURS NOTICE DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS. IF YOU CANCEL, DO NOT SHOW OR MISS YOUR APPOINTMENT WITHOUT THE REQUIRED NOTICE WE WILL ASSESS A $50.00 NON-REFUNDABLE MISSED APPOINTMENT SERVICE CHARGE. THIS FEE IS STRICTLY ENFORCED AND WILL NOT BE COVERED BY YOUR INSURANCE.
Recurring missed appointments or late cancellations may result in penalties or dismissal as a patient.

Late Policy

Lone Star Smiles reserves the right to reschedule any appointment if you are more than 15 minutes late. Late arrivals will cause a delay in seeing patients who are on time. If you find you are running late, we recommend you call our office to determine if we can hold your appointment. Our office is dedicated to providing all our patients with the most thorough and comfortable dental care available. We know that efficient scheduling is an important part of the your office experience and appreciate your cooperation with our late policy guidelines.

Financial Policy

We try to make your dental care as cost efficient as possible. One measure we have taken to keep costs down is to minimize our billing and accounting; therefore, we ask for payment at the time of service. Financial arrangements must be established before our office can proceed with any recommended treatment.
Acceptable forms of payment include: Cash, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Care Credit, or Cherry Payment Plans. In the event there is a shortage due to insurance underpayment, it is our policy to charge finance fees at 1.5% for outstanding patient balances after the balance has been outstanding for more than 30 days after you have been notified of a balance due. Payments returned due to insufficient funds will be entitled to a $25.00 NSF charge.
All patients who are seen in our office for a Comprehensive Exam are provided with a Treatment Plan. This is an ESTIMATE of the anticipated cost of your dental treatment. Your Treatment Plan will include an ESTIMATED insurance payment based on your dental coverage. IF YOUR CARRIER’S PAYMENT DIFFERS FROM OUR ESTIMATE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BALANCE. In the case of an overpayment, you are entitled to a prompt refund. Any claims over 90 days, become your responsibility.
If after insurance pays, there remains a balance on your account, you will receive a Statement for Service. This is due and payable by the 25th of the month. We will continue to send a statement each month until the balance of your account is paid in full. There is a $5.00 per month late fee applied to account balances over 30 days old. Should your account become delinquent (past due), we will continue to send a statement until the balance is 90 days old. If your account remains delinquent, two consecutive letters will be sent in order to avoid the necessity of pursuing further collection actions. Should your account remain delinquent, we will forward the balance to our collection agency.
In cases of divorce or separation, the parent bringing the child is responsible for payment at time of service.
We thank you for the opportunity to serve your dental healthcare needs and welcome any question you may have concerning your care or our financial policy.