Fall 2023 Newsletter
November 2023
Hello Everyone,
It has been a while since I have written a newsletter, so much has happened- it is hard to know where to start.
The main sentiment of this newsletter - I want to personally thank you all for your continued trust in our HappyTree team in supporting your oral health. We feel fortunate to do what we love and without you that would not be possible. Your support, patience, and feedback, especially during the practice’s early days has been pivotal while diving into the world of small business ownership.
Hard, yet meaningful things take time. You have all made this challenge worthwhile alongside my amazing team. I ride my bike in every morning with a silly grin on my face feeling so lucky to be able to do what I do and who I get to do it with/for. So, thank you.
If you have been happy with your dental experience, the practice is currently accepting new patients and we are appreciative of referrals of your friends and family.
Next order of business: this will be the last email newsletter in your inbox. You may ask, but how will I stay in the loop regarding the current happenings in the practice, the latest in dentistry, or helpful facts to know related to your teeth and health but never thought to ask? Excellent question!
We recently launched our website and social media accounts. On our website you can find blog posts, learn about the practice vision, why the practice is called HappyTree (FAQ), or if you are unsure about where to park or the shuttle service schedule from the parking lot. You can check it out at www.happytreedental.ca.
We also launched our Instagram and Facebook accounts that you can follow @happytreedental. It is an easy way to stay informed about current events in the practice, announcements, prize draws, promotions, new services offered, and pictures of the things we love.
This brings me to the next update: Preventive maintenance & hygiene appointments
As you may or may not be aware, one of our hygienist’s, Samantha, had surgery for carpal tunnel in September. The surgery went well and she is currently healing so she can return to doing what she loves (pain free) as soon as possible. We have coverage for Samantha but may need to reschedule some hygiene appointments depending on the availability of coverage and ensuring we maintain a high quality of care. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. If you cannot make your scheduled dental or hygiene appointment, please provide us with 48 business hours notice so we can accommodate other patients. Less than 48 hours notice may incur a cancellation fee.
Lastly, I wanted to take a moment to discuss dental insurance coverage. Insurance can be confusing and every plan is unique. I want to ensure clarity for our processes.
While dental insurance plans offset some treatment costs, they do not cover all your costs and do not cover the full range of dental treatments available today. While our team can help you understand your plan coverage and provide an estimate, we are NOT experts on all the details of your dental insurance plan and only your insurance company can provide final costing. This is in part because the details of your plan are protected by the Personal Information Protection Act, this makes it impossible for our team to get all of the information on your behalf. As a courtesy our team will submit your claim and direct bill insurance company at the time of your treatment, please know this is not final invoice. The final invoice will only occur once your insurance company confirms final coverage and each insurance provide has a different timeline for this confirmation.
As such, we highly recommend you take the time to educate yourself on your specific plan, to understand your exact coverage, out-of-pocket expenses to assist you in making informed decisions on treatment for improving and maintaining your oral health.
As a dental care provider, our relationship is with you, not your insurance company and our practice prides itself on ‘patient-centered care’. We recommend and provide treatment based on what is best for your oral health, not what is best for your dental insurance provider. We are happy to work with you to assist in maximizing your plan benefits and minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses but ultimately it is your responsibility and decision for your oral health. As such, all fees for treatment not covered by your dental plan are your responsibility.
If you have any questions- please feel free to reach out to our team, we are always happy to share knowledge so you can make informed health decisions based on your values, needs and unique situation.
Thank you again. I am excited about the direction of the practice and want to share (and sometimes overshare) but you will have to stay tuned and check out our website at happytreedental.ca and on social media @happytreedental for future updates.
Have a wonderful rest of your day,
Hilary/Dr. Linton and the HappyTree Team