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How early and how late can I schedule an appointment?
The earliest appointments with Dr. Pisacane are usually at 8:00 AM Monday through Thursday and the latest appointment, for a two hour appointment, would be at 3:00 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The earliest appointment with Leah, our dental hygienist, is 7:00 AM on Wednesdays and the latest appointment with Leah is 4:00 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Because these are highly coveted appointments they are reserved for adults only. If you have one of these appointments and do not keep it we may be unable to reschedule you for that time frame for several months.
Can I schedule an appointment during my lunch hour?
We have 12:00 noon appointments available with Dr. Pisacane and Leah on Wednesday's and Thursdays.
Why didn't my insurance pay my bill in full?
Health care, in general, has changed drastically in the last few years. Most dental insurance plans now pay a much lower percentage of the total fee.
While we try to maximize your insurance benefits, Dr. Pisacane designs a treatment plan with only the patient's best interest and dental health in mind.
The plans that pay the highest percentages of your actual fee are almost always the plans where the employer pays the highest premiums.
I used to have my teeth cleaned only twice a year and now the hygienist wants me to come in three or four times a year. Why?
When you have an appointment with our hygienist Leah, her job is to clean your teeth and to make sure your periodontal (gum and bone) health is the best it can be. Leah will check for bleeding, exudate (pus), pocketing and mobility of your teeth at each appointment. She keeps a chart showing your progress and if she see's that a four or five (or higher) millimeter pocket, or continued bleeding, is not responding to routine six month therapy she will review your home care and brushing and flossing techniques. If you are doing all you can do, your home care is excellent but your oral health is not improving, OR, if your home care is not improving, Leah may recommend a more frequent recall interval. This shorter time span will allow her to keep your pockets as clean and bacteria free as possible. By having your periodontal condition treated more frequently you can often avoid more involved and more agressive treatment. Occasionally, even this shorter time span will not produce an improvement in your periodontal health and Leah and Dr. Pisacane may then refer you to a periodontist for more advanced treatment.
I just want my teeth cleaned - I don't need to see the dentist and I don't want to pay for stuff I don't really need.
Scheduling a cleaning appointment for a new patient, without a complete examination, and possible x-rays, is ultimately a disservice to the patient and verges on malpratice by the dentist. An oral examination is necessary to determine the periodontal health of the patient and the type of periodontal treatment they may need. X-rays can show decay, shrinking bone level around teeth, and cysts or abcesses. These are often symptom free problems which, if left untreated, can result in the loss of a tooth or teeth. | 
