These are the questions people ask most when they call our office in Tracy, Minnesota. If yours isn't here, call (507) 555-0142. The phone is answered 24/7.
The $539.47 figure is an estimated maximum, not a fixed fee. It covers a limited emergency exam, one dental X-ray and a CBCT (3D) scan if the dentist needs one. Your actual charge depends on the imaging you need, and a CBCT scan is not always necessary. Treatment is charged separately and explained before any work starts.
Hours and appointments
When is your office open?
Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. We're closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The phone is answered around the clock, so you can call any time, and the next opening is held for you.
Can I be seen today?
Usually, if you call during office hours. We hold same-day times for emergencies. If you call late in the afternoon and live farther out, we may hold the first time the next morning. More on the same-day dentist page.
Are you open on Friday, Saturday or Sunday?
No. The office is closed those days. A live answering service still takes your call, writes down your details and holds Monday's 7:30 AM opening. If you have spreading swelling or bleeding that won't stop, go to a hospital.
Can I reach someone in the middle of the night?
Yes. Our phone is answered 24/7, every day of the year. The office itself is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. After hours, the answering service holds the next opening for you.
Do you take walk-ins?
No. Please call first. That way a room and a dentist are ready when you arrive, and you won't make the drive only to wait.
Do I need to be an existing patient?
No. Most emergency patients are new to us. Bring your insurance card, an ID and a list of your medicines.
Cost, insurance and payment
What does the emergency exam cost?
The exam, one X-ray and a CBCT 3D scan if needed have an estimated maximum of $539.47. Many visits don't need the scan and cost less. Treatment is separate, and you hear the price before it starts. See the cost and insurance page.
What insurance do you take?
We're in network with Delta Dental Premier, which is different from Delta Dental PPO. For other private dental plans we're out of network and submit the claim when your plan has out-of-network benefits.
Do you accept Medical Assistance, Medicaid or MinnesotaCare?
No. We don't accept Medical Assistance (Minnesota's Medicaid program) or MinnesotaCare.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, through Cherry, Sunbit, Proceed Finance and CareCredit, subject to each lender's approval and terms. We also have an in-house dental savings plan for patients without insurance.
Treatment
Can you pull a tooth the same day?
Often, yes. The dentist confirms the tooth can't be saved, explains the cost and removes it with local anesthesia. A few complex cases need care we don't provide here; if yours does, we help arrange it and follow up. See emergency tooth extraction.
Do you offer sedation?
We use local anesthesia to numb the area, and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is available if you're anxious. Tell us when you call so we can plan for it.
What is a CBCT scan?
A CBCT scan is a 3D X-ray of your teeth and jaw. It can show a cracked root, a hidden infection or how a wisdom tooth sits, things a flat X-ray can miss. Not every visit needs one.
Do you see children?
Call us and tell us your child's age and what happened. For a knocked-out baby tooth, don't put it back in the socket. See knocked-out tooth care.
Emergency room or dentist?
When should I go to the ER instead?
Go to the emergency department for swelling spreading toward your eye or down your neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, bleeding that won't stop, a high fever with facial swelling, or a head or jaw injury. In Tracy that's Sanford Tracy Medical Center.
Will the ER fix my tooth?
Hospitals treat spreading infection, serious injuries and pain, but they generally don't treat the tooth itself. You'll still need a dentist to fix the cause. Call us after you've been seen.
Is a toothache an emergency?
A tooth that throbs on its own, wakes you at night, hurts to bite on or comes with swelling should be seen soon. A quick twinge from cold that fades right away can usually wait for a regular visit. See toothache relief.