FAQ · Plain answers
Questions patients actually ask.
Most of what people want to know before becoming a patient at Dunning: scheduling, insurance, services, and what a first visit is like. If your question is not here, call the office and the front desk will handle it.
If it is not here, call.
This is not an exhaustive list. Specific questions about your situation are usually a phone call, not a webpage.
Common questions
New patients
Becoming a patient.
Are you accepting new patients?
Yes. Call the office and the front desk will get you on the schedule. Tell them you’re new when you call so they can send the right Dental Intel forms ahead of time.
How do I schedule a first appointment?
Call 518-842-3220 during office hours. We don’t use online booking because it creates duplicate appointments and misses context the front desk needs to match you with the right visit type.
What should I bring to my first visit?
Identification, anything your insurance company has issued you (card or membership details), and a list of medications you currently take, supplements included. With those three things in hand, the team can move straight into the exam without administrative back-and-forth. The new-patients page has the full walkthrough of what the first appointment looks like start to finish.
How long does a first visit take?
About 60 to 75 minutes. The first appointment is mostly listening: your history, concerns, and what you want from dental care. A cleaning may happen at the same visit or be scheduled separately, depending on what the exam reveals.
Can I fill out forms at the office?
Yes. The Dental Intel forms arrive by email or text after you call, but if you’d rather fill them out in the office, arrive about ten minutes early and the front desk will hand them over.
How do I transfer records from my old dentist?
Tell us your prior dentist’s name and the front desk will request your records on your behalf. Most offices send them within a week. You don’t need them in hand to book a first visit.
Insurance + payment
How billing works.
Do you accept my insurance?
Dunning Family Dental is out of network with dental insurance plans and submits claims to most carriers as a courtesy. You pay the practice at the visit; your insurer makes the final benefit determination and sends reimbursement directly to you. CareCredit is accepted for spreading larger treatment across months. Medicaid and Fidelis are not accepted. Call 518-842-3220 with your specific plan details for a plan-specific estimate.
Why is Dunning out of network?
Dunning is out of network so the practice can preserve the time and continuity that careful family dentistry requires. Being out of network does not mean patients cannot use benefits. Many do; the difference is that reimbursement comes to the patient directly after the insurer processes the claim.
Do you accept CareCredit?
CareCredit is accepted as third-party financing that can spread larger treatment across monthly payments. Approval and terms are set by CareCredit. You can apply online or at the office.
Do you accept HSA or FSA cards?
Yes. HSA and FSA cards can be used for eligible dental expenses and are accepted directly at checkout.
When do I pay?
At the visit. Your insurance company processes the claim on their own schedule and sends the reimbursement directly to you. Dunning does not hold your payment while waiting on the carrier.
Will I get an estimate before treatment?
For any work beyond a basic exam or cleaning, you receive a written estimate that shows the practice fee and the expected reimbursement based on plan information available. Final benefit determination is made by your insurer.
Services
What we do.
What services do you offer?
General & preventive dentistry (cleanings, exams), restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns, bridges), cosmetic dentistry (whitening, bonding, veneers), implant restorations, emergency dentistry, and family care across all ages. The services page has details on each.
Do you place dental implants?
Dunning restores implants, meaning we make and place the crown, bridge, or denture that sits on top. The surgical placement of the implant fixture itself is referred to a trusted local oral surgeon. We coordinate the referral so everyone is working from the same plan.
Do you treat children?
Yes, family dentistry means patients from first visits onward. For routine preventive care, sealants, and small restorations on younger patients, we handle most situations in-house. For complex pediatric cases, sedation, or very young children with extensive needs, we refer to a trusted pediatric specialist. Call (518) 842-3220 to talk through what's appropriate for your child's specific age and situation.
Do you do orthodontics or Invisalign?
We don’t place braces or do Invisalign in-house. We monitor tooth development and refer to local orthodontists when alignment work is the right next step.
Do you do root canals?
Straightforward root canals, yes, Dr. D’Addio handles them. For complex cases involving back molars or unusual anatomy, we refer to an endodontist.
Do you do oral surgery or extractions?
Simple extractions, yes. For surgical extractions, impacted wisdom teeth, or anything requiring sedation, we refer to a local oral surgeon.
Emergencies
When something happens today.
Do you offer emergency appointments?
The office triages every urgent call and works to see dental urgencies at the earliest appropriate opening. Same-day and next-morning openings are common, but actual timing depends on the situation and the schedule that day. Call 518-842-3220 during office hours.
What counts as a dental emergency?
Severe or worsening tooth pain, localized swelling near a specific tooth, a broken tooth, a knocked-out tooth, or a lost crown or filling. When in doubt, call the office and the front desk will triage. Difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, severe facial swelling, or trauma involving more than just teeth belongs in the emergency department first.
Should I go to the ER first?
Emergency department or 911: difficulty breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, severe facial swelling, or trauma involving more than just teeth. Dental office: tooth pain, broken teeth, lost crowns or fillings, or localized swelling near a specific tooth without breathing or throat involvement.
What if I lost a permanent tooth?
Pick up the tooth by the crown (the white part), not the root. Rinse gently with water if it is dirty; do not scrub. If you can, place it back in the socket and hold it in place with light finger pressure or by biting on clean gauze. If it cannot be placed back, keep it in milk or in saliva; do not use tap water for storage. Call the office as soon as possible; time matters. This applies to permanent teeth. Do not attempt to reinsert a baby tooth; call for guidance.
Office + scheduling
The practical stuff.
What are your hours?
Monday 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Tuesday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Wednesday and Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Friday 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Closed weekends.
Where are you located?
310 Jansen Avenue, Johnstown, NY 12095. Phone 518-842-3220. The contact page has directions and a map.
Are you open on holidays?
Closed Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year's Eve and Day.
Can I book online?
Online booking is not offered. Call 518-842-3220 during office hours; the front desk can match you with the right visit type more accurately than a form and avoids the duplicate appointments that online systems tend to create.
Can I reschedule by text or email?
Call the office. A phone call resolves scheduling changes in one exchange instead of a back-and-forth thread.
Do you have parking?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at the office.
Still have a question?
Call the office during hours. Most patient questions are answered faster in a phone conversation than by scrolling a webpage.
Honest dentistry for families who want the long view.