Cary, NC Dentist » Understanding Insurance
As a courtesy to you, our team will help you know your insurance benefits as well as various payment and financing options available to you. We have many patients that use insurance as a way to assist them with getting their dental needs covered. While we are not in network with any insurance providers, we do accept and file all PPO claims as a courtesy, but are not currently under DMO/HMO plans. All plans are different as it is based on how your employer purchased the plan from the insurance company.
We would be happy to complete a complimentary benefit check so that you can better understand your coverage. Feel free to call the office directly or use our online chat button and one of team members will be happy to assist you.
Understanding Co-Payments
Although most insurance plans allow 2 cleanings per year at 100% coverage, they are covered at 100% of their “allowed amount.” An allowed amount is the average amount an insurance company will pay for any services in a certain geographical area. Most times your co-pay will be $20 or less. Some plans will apply your deductible to preventive services. Each time you have a hygiene appointment or an emergency visit with the doctor there is a strong possibility that an examination will be completed and charged. Most insurance companies will allow 2 exams per year no matter the type of exam. Please be mindful of this and how your insurance policy is written. We will do our best to provide you with the most up-to-date information.
Collecting Insurance Information
If you forget to bring your insurance information to your appointment, there are a few ways we can proceed with your appointment: (1) Give us your employer and we might already have that information in the system. All we will need is your SS# or insurance ID number. (2) Call your HR person and have them give you the name of the insurance company, group number and the insurance company’s contact information and we can most likely take it from there. (3) Pay in full for your services and receive a courtesy (savings from 3 to 5 %) and we will file the claim for you so you may be reimbursed directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
We know understanding your dental insurance benefits may be difficult. While every plan is different, these are some of the most frequently asked questions that can help you better understand your plan.
Why aren’t all of my treatment costs covered?
Dental insurance works differently than typical health insurance. Dental insurance is a money benefit applied by an employer to help the employee pay for routine dental treatment. While the plan is based on the amount of the monthly premium cost, most plans are designed to only cover a portion of the total cost.
What if my plan says it covers 100% of exams and certain other procedures?
Insurance carriers allow a certain dollar amount and will agree to apply 100% of that allowed amount to certain procedures. However, if your dental treatment costs more than the allowed amount, there may still be a balance leftover. The best resource in understanding your unique insurance plan is your Employee Benefits Coordinator or Human Resource department where you work.
How does my insurance carrier come up with its allowed payments?
Often you will see allowed payments referred to as UCR payments (usual, customary and reasonable). These are negotiated amounts between the insurance company and your employer based on where you are located and the premium cost your employer is willing to pay. Usual and customary amounts are typically much less than what dentists in your area will charge for a dental procedure. It does not mean that the dentist is charging an unfair rate.
Will there always be a balance left for me to pay?
Most negotiated allowed payments will only cover a portion of your treatment. Even if the treatment is not covered in full, most people benefit from reduced costs after insurance in applied.
Why is there an annual maximum on my benefits?
Annual dental maximums are the limit that an insurance carrier has agreed to cover for you each year. These limits have not changed since the 1960s.
Why does my benefit plan require me to elect a dentist from a list?
Typically, dentists that appear on an insurance carriers list are those who have agreed to a contract with the benefit plan. These dentists are held to certain restrictions and requirements. There is nothing wrong with dentist who do not appear on the list. Some are not comfortable with these restrictions on treatment.
Why does my plan only pay for the least expensive alternative treatment?
Your dentist will recommend the very best treatment option for your needs; however, the insurance plan may only allow coverage for the least expensive treatment method. This is one way a dental plan works to save money.
Why are X-rays, cleanings and gum treatment not covered?
Insurance plans have specific amounts of certain treatments that it will allow for annually. Often x-rays, cleanings, and gum treatments are among those because they are frequently needed.
Why can’t I get treatment done and send in the claim the next month so that insurance will cover it?
State laws regulate dentists from changing the date of service on a claim to accommodate when the insurance plan officially goes into effect.
What should I do if my treatment is covered and I think it should be?
Unfortunately, dentists have no power to make the insurance company pay because the coverage is an agreement between the patient, employer and the insurance company. The best way to contest a claim is to address it with your Employee Benefits Coordinator at your place of work or directly with the insurance carrier.
What Our Patients Are Saying!
“As a first time patient, I was warmly welcomed and every person I came in contact with was very friendly. I received a thorough cleaning and was very informed of my needs and any procedure that might be performed.
Cindy Covil
“I have been a patient of Dr. Acton's for 19 years. You can trust him to listen to you and address your needs and/or fears. He has the most up to date procedures and invest in training all of the staff on both the latest techniques and customer service... I feel safe and well cared for at each of my appointments.
Darlene Germano
“Dr. Acton is great at what he does and I highly recommend using Cary Family Dental as your new Dentist! PS - their new building is awesome and they have TVs on the ceiling so you can watch when you are getting cleaned!
Nathan Campbell
“I have been with cary family dental for a few years now and always leave happy! I actually am looking forward to going to this dentist. All staff is always friendly and seem to really care about my well being.
Ida Kaeser

The results are amazing, and my front teeth look better than I ever imagined! He’s so caring, and I genuinely feel well taken care of every time I’m there. I’m so glad we found him when we moved to Cary. If you want a dentist with exceptional skill and care, Dr. Wooten is the absolute best!
The clinic itself is spotless, and the entire staff is friendly and professional. I actually had my tooth removed three days ago, but I started having some pain this morning. I called the clinic at 8:00 AM, and they were kind enough to take me in at 8:30 AM. I was seen again by Dr. Madden, who quickly evaluated my problem, cleaned the infected area and prescribed antibiotics. Everything went so smoothly, and I truly appreciate how caring and responsive they were.
Overall, an excellent experience — clean office, friendly staff, and outstanding care. Highly recommend!
If you're looking for the perfect dentist, then look no further. Kindness and care is at the forefront of everything they do and it really shows.
The atmosphere was superb and very friendly walking in.
Ana the dental hygienist and Blanca were EXTREMELY informative throughout every step. Ana was so accommodating through everything and was really involved with what you wanted from the visit and moving forward with oral care!
Each step of the way she would go over everything and explain everything from the up most thoroughness. She was super kind and made the atmosphere very uplifting.
The doc/dentist that came in was super respectful and friendly. He also was very informative and showed a lot of trust in his dental hygienist which I believe she is very knowledgeable in the field!
Over all great first time, they got me set up with a care plan that will hopefully help me get back on track!!
Thank you and would recommend to everyone!!
Great place. They were super gentle and fast. Ana is a star hygienist. Best dentist i have been to in a very long time
Beware! They are known to DECEIVE people into thinking they accept dental insurance. Paid way too much for my dental cleaning and they led me to believe I wouldn’t have to pay anything since cleanings are fully covered by my insurance.
Dr. W is amazing as well. He is genuine, thorough, and a good human.
The staff are friendly, timely, and on point. The office is modern, clean, and in a great location.
This practice blew me away so much that I have already referred them to clients and friends.
So happy that I found them. I would give them 10 stars if I could.
Yesterday and I have no pain dentures feel great I lost most of my teeth after Bariatric surgery broken chipped rotten teeth I was in paint for 3 years till I found Cary Family Dental I tried aspen affordable dentures and many others always got the run around Cary family dental did everything in there office one stop shop thanks again to
Cary Family dental
Yesterday and I have no pain dentures feel great I lost most of my teeth after Bariatric surgery broken chipped rotten teeth I was in paint for 3 years till I found Cary Family Dental I tried aspen affordable dentures and many others always got the run around Cary family dental did everything in there office one stop shop thanks again to
Cary Family dental
I’m absolutely appalled by the treatment my two children, ages 16 and 14, received at Cary Family Dentistry. My husband and I have been long-time patients, so we trusted them for our children's first non-pediatric dental appointments. Unfortunately, this experience has made us lose all trust in this practice.
Due to my children’s busy school and sports schedules, we scheduled their appointments on a day when my husband and I were in the office, but they were out of school. The office is just minutes from our home, and my 16-year-old son drove them both to their appointments. From the moment they arrived, the staff acted shocked that my daughter was 14 years old and proceeded to treat her with extreme disrespect.
The real issue came when the staff began loudly discussing, right outside my daughter’s room, how “irresponsible” it was for us not to attend her appointment. They made unnecessary and hurtful comments about her teeth, wrongly assuming she had just recently had a cleaning, saying things like “why is she even here?” and that the hygienist didn’t want to “waste her time.” These remarks were not only inaccurate but incredibly inappropriate. They repeatedly questioned why she was there at all, adding to the distress.
My daughter, who was already anxious about her first adult dental visit, called me in tears after the appointment, heartbroken by the way they had spoken about her and our family. The level of unprofessionalism is absolutely shocking, and no patient—especially a minor—should ever be made to feel so belittled and embarrassed.
This is NOT a family-friendly practice, and I am devastated that my children’s first experience with an adult dentist was such a nightmare. We will be finding a new dentist who actually cares about and respects their patients. If you value professionalism, kindness, and a welcoming environment, I highly recommend looking elsewhere.
The team is not only incredibly pleasant but also highly knowledgeable. They took the time to explain every step of the process, which helped alleviate my nerves and made me feel confident in my decision to choose them as my new dentist. Their professionalism and genuine care for their patients truly shine through. I appreciated how the staff took the time to listen to my concerns and answer all of my questions thoroughly.
Overall, my experience at Cary Family Dental exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend Cary Family Dental to anyone looking for a compassionate and skilled dental team.
Kelly is a wonderful dental hygienist too!!! Dr. Wooten is fantastic too!!! They’re all fantastic!!!
So customer buys at extra cost a warranty dentist gets paid no impact to them. I can see there business model evolving. No accountability.
I can do better and I did.
This is the response to the owners response.
The response was canned and as expected. If you dedicated to excellence I would say you are in need of a quality control audit bigly. Save your $10 words and canned fairytale response as the actions do not meet the Truth.
Leigh 🙂
Came out the dentist, cheeeesing 😁!!!
100% Highly recommend!!!
My most recent experience with hygienist Liz confirmed all my previous experiences. This is a great place and I highly recommend it.
I have requested getting numbed for my dental cleanings for a number of years because my teeth are so sensitive. However, Fanta is so gentle and thorough in cleaning my teeth that I no longer request anesthesia.
I also had a veneer fracture and was dreading getting it replaced. Dr. Kristin Madden made me feel comfortable as soon as she came into the room with her gentle touch, kindness and infinite patience. The new veneer was even more beautiful than my old one. Dr. Madden meticulously matched my tooth color and covered more of the tetracycline staining of my tooth so that my smile is as amazing as Dr. Madden. I trust her to do anything in my my mouth.
I would highly recommend Cary Family Dental to anyone looking for a practice who is attentive, provides great service, with exceptional customer service from calling to schedule an appointment, follow-up, to leaving their office.
I had missed my last dental appointment at my old practice because they had very limited hygienists, so I was behind on my current cleaning. I feel so much better since my cleaning today, and very happy that I chose Cary Family Dental my dental care 🦷 🤩🤩🤩
Karen is my hygienist and she makes my visits very welcoming. Everyone here is very pleasant.
Keep smiling.
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