La Habra/Chino Hills, CA – You’ve done your research and found the perfect orthodontic office. Everything is going well until you find out your family needs to move. What happens now? How can you move while seamlessly transferring your orthodontic treatment? Don’t let finding a new orthodontist add to your stress – your orthodontic team at Gire Orthodontics will be happy to help!

“We love being a part of our patients’ lives, but know that sometimes life can throw some curveballs our way,” says Dr. Robert Gire. “If your family needs to relocate during treatment, we will help you transfer your treatment to a new orthodontist.”

Steps To Transfer Orthodontic Treatment

To start, Dr. Gire recommends making a list of what you’ll need to do before you move. And that includes adding a task for transferring orthodontic treatment. You can even make a checklist related just to your orthodontic treatment. Include where you’ve packed all of your orthodontic necessities, such as aligners, orthodontic wax, elastics, etc. Keeping these things separate can ensure you have them handy when you need them and ensure nothing gets damaged.

The next step is to inform your current orthodontist that you will be moving. Moves happen, and your orthodontic office will have plenty of experience with transferring treatment. 

“Our office is here to help you, even if you are leaving,” says Dr. Gire. “We want to ensure a seamless transition so you don’t experience any interruptions in your treatment. So don’t be afraid to ask us questions, and to tell us where you are going. We may have recommendations for a new orthodontic office in the area you are moving to.”

If your current orthodontist doesn’t have recommendations for a new office in the area you are relocating to, there are other ways to find the right office. Co-workers and school families in the area are a great place to start, but you can also turn to the American Association of Orthodontists for help. Their website (www.aaoinfo.org) has a handy “find an orthodontist” tool to help you find a board-certified orthodontist in your new city. Since Gire Orthodontics uses a lot of Damon Smile System braces, the Damon locator will help as well (damonbraces.com/en-us/map-locator). Lastly, Gire Orthodontics uses a lot of Spark clear aligners so (sparkaligners.com/en-eu/find-spark-provider) will be a good resource, too! 

Once you know the office you will use in your new city, let your old office know. This way, your records can be sent to the new office. The AAO has forms for your old orthodontist to fill out for the new orthodontist. These will ensure your new orthodontist knows everything that is going on with your issue and treatment plan.

You’ll also need to discuss finances. You’ll need to start by settling your account with your current office. Most offices will only charge for treatment rendered, meaning the treatment you’ve had up until the point you move. You’ll need to fulfill these financial obligations. If you paid for treatment in full at the beginning, the office will issue you a refund. 

Understanding Your Financial Obligations When Transferring Orthodontic Treatment

When transferring treatment, it is important to understand your new financial obligations. That includes ensuring the new clinic accepts your insurance, should you have any benefits remaining, and understanding any new payment plan that you may be entering into. Depending on where you are moving to, your new costs could be higher or lower than your original costs. That’s because there are regional differences to take into consideration when moving. For instance, if you’ve moved from a relatively small suburban area to a larger urban area, your fees may increase. 

Key Questions to Ask When Transferring Orthodontic Treatment to a New Office

Understanding your financial obligations will help the transfer of treatment be as smooth as possible. Questions to ask include:

• Will the new office accept your insurance?
• How much benefit do you have remaining?
• Will your insurance cover the benefit for treatment currently in progress?
• Does the new office accept HSA/FSA payments?
• Does the new office offer extended payment plans?
• Does the new office accept outside credit, or do they offer in-office financing?
• What is included in the new treatment fees?

Changing orthodontists during treatment doesn’t have to be stressful. Gire Orthodontics wants to ensure that you have the very best care possible, even if you leave our office for any reason. We will work with you to ensure that the transfer process is as painless and stress-free as possible.