Our Philosophy

Family and Cosmetic Dentistry of Southern Illinois exists to help clients enjoy their natural teeth for a lifetime. That has been our mission since 1982. Like people everywhere, our clients value health and happiness. Those who seek our services desire to attain and maintain the ability to smile attractively, to chew comfortably, to be healthy "forever", and to provide their children with these same benefits.

For most practicing dentists today, optimal dental health is a precise human condition we came to appreciate in dental school. Patients often have a personal notion of health. At Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we listen closely to determine what oral health features our clients value, then we assist them in understanding their existing dental conditions as we provide ideas on how they may be modified to achieve their objectives. With our client in the driver's seat, the treatment we provide is always one step toward the "precise condition" we are trained to promote.

The personal attention that for years has guided diagnosis and treatment planning stages of patient care also underpins all treatment provided by our team. Our best endorsement for comfortable care is that which comes word-of-mouth from thousands of satisfied patients who visit our practice annually and refer others to us.

In order for dental health enjoyment to last one's lifetime, dental therapies must be performed which are best able to suit that time frame. As technology advances, so does our treatment approach. In the middle 1980's we began offering a then-revolutionary self-help protocol to patients with gum disease so tooth-loss was not inevitable. Also about that same time, we began restoring front teeth simply to improve their appearance in the smile. In the early 1990's, we began routinely viewing back teeth with the magnified image from an intra-oral camera so problems could be detected before toothache was evident. In 1995, we threw away dental amalgam, because metal fillings were showing to be much more harming to tooth structure than the modern metal-free alternative. And in 2001, we made the major leap to the hydrokinetic laser so tooth decay could be managed in a most conservative and comfortable manner. With our high-tech capability and our strong focus on patient desires, Family and Cosmetic Dentistry of Southern Illinois continues a proven tradition of "helping clients enjoy their natural teeth for a lifetime."

Appointment Times

Depending on one's availability and personal schedule flexibility, we offer two distinct appointment scheduling options. Many patients prefer the predictability of pre-scheduling reserved appointment times, while some patients prefer to be contacted on short notice as their preferred times become available.

Emergency Care

Active clients can usually be seen on the same day of calling with an emergency. When appropriate, active clients may receive advice and prescription assistance by telephone in lieu of the necessity for an office visit.

Every attempt is made to provide timely in-office advice and assistance to inactive and new patients. Absent or outdated patient records make telephone assistance an unwise, and therefore, improbable, alternative for inactive and new patients.

After regular patient hours, our clients may talk personally with Dr. Loughran at 967-2616.

Location: 200 S. 16th St. • Herrin IL 62948

New to our office? Come to Herrin, on Rt. 148, 4 miles north of Rt. 13 between Marion and Carbondale. Rt. 148 is Park Avenue, Herrin's North-South main street. Both the post office and the ambulance service are on Park Avenue at Harrison Street, and our building is on Harrison Street behind the ambulance service. We are located on the corner of Harrison and 16th street.

Our Staff

Our team members frequently receive compliments for their caring, courteous attitude. Our dedication is to dental health, but our focus is quality client service.

All fees for services performed in our office are fully explained at the time appointment commitments are made. We are proud of our fees and believe they compare favorably with fees of similar dental practices in the Marion-to-Carbondale area. We cannot know what quality of service a particular fee would garner you in any other office, but we always know exactly what advantages and benefits you will receive from us. If value is important to you, please consider these general features of Family and Cosmetic Dentistry of Southern Illinois when price-shopping for dental services.

Payment Plans

Everything in life we want to keep healthy and in good working order needs occasional maintenance and mending. Keeping one's teeth looking attractive and chewing comfortably similarly requires upkeep and repair.

If a row of your aged metal fillings is deemed unsafe to chew with, the decision to proceed with necessary treatment should be as acceptable as committing to new tires for the family automobile. When an upcoming wedding or class reunion prompts you to seek the smile makeover you have always dreamed of, your decision to "just do it" may be likened to one that might find you making a commitment to a nice vacation.

Because each of our clients has a financial status that is as unique as his or her lifestyle, we offer payment plans to satisfy almost everyone's circumstances. Monthly payments are handled by a third party without the additional cost of interest charges or processing fees, assuring that your treatment proceeds comfortably and conveniently.

Dental Insurance

We do everything in our power to exceed clients' expectations. In effect, every service provided by our office is an agreement between the patient and the dentist. The insurance relationship, on the other hand, is little more than a business contract between your employer and an insurance company. If you have dental insurance, your employer would prefer that your insurance benefits appear as generous as possible, while the insurance company would prefer to avoid paying out any claim possible. If you were to determine who was more interested in helping you maintain optimum dental health, in what order would you rate your employer, your dental insurance company, and your dental office?

We are pleased that you may have insurance benefits to help you with the cost of your dental care, and we always want to help you obtain the maximum use of these benefits. As a courtesy, we submit your claims, track them, and accept payment directly from the insurance company on your behalf. We accept all insurance plans that do not require you to select a dentist from a list or require our office to accept reduced fees. Because we work with hundreds of plans, and due to regular changes in those many plans, it is impossible to give you guaranteed quotes of their payments. Our computer can give predictions based on historical data, but these are only enlightened guesses. If you need to know exact insurance benefits for proposed treatment, we can file a "pre-authorization" with your insurance company, and expect a response in four weeks. This will delay treatment but you will know the exact out of pocket figures you may require.

Dental insurance has assisted many clients on their journey to achieving optimum dental health. If you have insurance coverage, by all means try viewing payable dental benefits as if emanating from a rich uncle: acknowledge the generosity but keep treatment decision-making between you and your dentist!