Using your benefits
Using your dental benefits at Altamar.
How paying, claims and reimbursement work here — and how to find out what your plan will pay before you start treatment.
Dental benefits in Naples, FL
Independent by choice. Patient-centered by design.
The dentists who own Altamar are the same dentists who treat you. Our recommendations are based on what’s right for you — not the terms of an insurance contract.
Have dental benefits?
You can still use them here. Altamar doesn’t participate in insurance networks, so you pay Altamar directly — our team submits your claim, and any reimbursement your plan owes goes straight to you.
No benefits?
The Altamar Smile Club starts at $360/year and covers your preventive care plus meaningful savings on treatment.
Two ways to pay for care
Your benefits or the Smile Club. Pick the one that suits you.
Patients here use one or the other. The two can’t be combined, so it’s worth a minute to think about which fits. We’re glad to talk it through with you.
Using your dental benefits
Give us your plan information. You pay Altamar at the time of your visit, we submit the claim for you, and your plan sends any reimbursement directly to you.
The rest of this page explains what affects that reimbursement and how to check it ahead of time.
Using the Smile Club
A yearly membership that includes your exams, cleanings and X-rays, plus member savings on treatment. It’s a discount plan, not insurance, and it’s used only at Altamar.
Because member prices are our own discounts, we don’t submit claims or provide insurance documentation for care received with Smile Club savings.
How it works
From your treatment plan to your reimbursement.
Two numbers matter here. Our fee is set by Altamar, and we give it to you in writing before any treatment starts. Your reimbursement depends on the terms of your plan, so it’s the one number we can’t quote for you — but you can find it out, and we’ll show you how.
You get our fee in writing, before treatment.
Your treatment plan lists each step and what it costs. Ask for the procedure codes too, and we’ll include them.
You pay at the time of your visit.
Cash, credit or debit card, CareCredit, or HFD financing. For larger treatment plans, financing can spread the cost over monthly payments.
We submit your claim.
If you’ve given us your plan information, our team submits the claim for you. There are no forms for you to fill out or mail.
Your plan reimburses you directly.
Any reimbursement your plan owes goes straight to you. Most plans process claims within two to six weeks, though it varies.
What shapes your reimbursement
Four details in your plan make most of the difference.
What a plan pays depends less on the company name on your card than on the specific plan your employer chose. Two people with cards from the same company can have very different benefits. These are the details worth knowing.
Whether your plan pays for a dentist you choose
Some plans pay only when you see a dentist they have a contract with. Plans usually call this having, or not having, “out-of-network benefits.” It’s the first thing to check, and one phone call will tell you.
Your annual maximum, and what’s left of it
Most dental plans limit what they’ll pay in a calendar year, commonly somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000. Once you reach it, the plan pays nothing more until the next plan year.
Your deductible
The amount you pay each year before the plan starts to contribute. Deductibles for a plan’s out-of-network benefits are often higher than for its in-network benefits, and they reset every year.
The plan’s allowed amount
Plans reimburse a percentage of their own allowed amount for a procedure, not a percentage of our fee. A plan that pays 80% may be paying 80% of a lower number. This is the detail that surprises people most, so it’s worth asking about.
Before you start treatment
Five questions to ask your plan.
We don’t submit pre-treatment estimates. Plans can take several weeks to return one, and an estimate isn’t a guarantee of payment. A direct call to your plan usually gets you a clearer answer, often the same day.
Ask us for the procedure codes and our fee for the treatment you’re considering — we’ll give you both in writing. Then call the member services number on your card and ask the questions here.
A note on wording: plans describe a dentist they don’t have a contract with as “out-of-network.” Using their term helps the representative find the answer quickly.
Write down the representative’s name and the date of the call. If you’d rather not make the call alone, tell us and we’ll walk you through it.
Does my plan include out-of-network dental benefits?
If it doesn’t, the plan won’t reimburse care here, and you have your answer.
What percentage does my plan reimburse for out-of-network preventive, basic and major services?
What is my annual maximum, and how much have I used this year?
What is my remaining deductible for out-of-network care?
For procedure code [the code we give you], what is the allowed amount for ZIP code 34112?
And are there any waiting periods or frequency limits that apply to me?
Questions about benefits
Using your benefits: FAQ
Can I use my HSA or FSA here?
Yes. Dental treatment is a qualified medical expense, and HSA and FSA cards work here like any other card. If you have FSA funds that expire at the end of the year, it can make sense to use them on care you already need.
Why doesn’t Altamar participate in insurance networks?
Staying independent lets Dr. Marino and Dr. Marquez choose materials, lab work and appointment lengths based on what your mouth needs. That’s why they chose to stay independent. More about why Altamar is independent →
How long does reimbursement take?
Most plans process claims within two to six weeks, though it varies. If you’d like an update, your plan’s member services line can tell you where your claim stands.
What do I need to bring so you can submit my claim?
Your benefits card and the subscriber’s date of birth. If the plan is through a spouse or parent, we’ll need their information as the policyholder. Bring it to your first visit and our team takes care of the rest.
What if I don’t have dental benefits?
Take a look at the Altamar Smile Club. It starts at $360 a year and includes your preventive care, plus member savings on treatment. There are no claims to submit.
Can I use my benefits for some visits and the Smile Club for others?
No. The Smile Club can’t be combined with any dental insurance plan, and we don’t submit claims or provide insurance documentation for care received with Smile Club savings. Choose whichever suits you better — we’re happy to help you think it through.
Questions about cost? Ask before you book.
We’re glad to spend a few minutes on the phone helping you work out your options.