Meet the Team
Dr. Ritu Bahl
Dr. Bahl is a graduate of University of Connecticut School of Dentistry and has been practicing general dentistry since 2006. She is well versed in all aspects of general dentistry and always strives to provide comprehensive oral care with a special emphasis on prevention of oral diseases. She cherishes the opportunities that general dentistry provides for developing long-term relationships with patients and their families, and relishes the challenge of personalizing best dental care to the unique needs of each patient.
Dr. Bahl’s CV testifies to her significant academic accomplishments already during her dental career. She received the prestigious "Student-Clinician of the Year" award at the 2004 annual session of the American Dental Association. Her essay, Local Anesthesia in Dentistry, won the first place award by the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology and was later published in the journal Anesthesia Progress.
Her research findings on oral complications in cancer patients and genetic aspects of osteoporosis have been presented at various dental meetings. During her dental training, she won numerous awards for outstanding skills. She was awarded the Horace Wells Senior Student Award for proficiency in the field of Anesthesia, the Marion Mattioli Award for outstanding skills in oral diagnostic sciences , Hinz Merit Award for outstanding academic achievement by School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut to name a few. She was recently named one of Seattle’s Top Dentist (2012) by Consumer Research.
Dr Bahl strongly believes in ‘Continuing Dental Education’ as a means to stay abreast of the latest advances in dental science and technology and is committed to providing her patients with personalized care and state-of-the-art dentistry. Besides participating in many continuing education courses, Dr. Bahl is also pursuing a rigorous fellowship in general dentistry.
She is an active member of several professional organizations including American Dental Association (ADA), Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), Washington State Dental Association (WSDA) and Seattle King County Dental Society (SKCDS). She frequently volunteers for various community dental events and has spoken, on behalf of the University of Washington – Center of Pediatric Dentistry, at many local schools in Seattle area to promote oral health in children.
Outside of work, Dr. Bahl has two children, Manav and Anvi, to keep her busy. Her husband, Shailender Bhatia, is a medical oncologist at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Dr. Bahl loves to travel outdoors, cook and read. Basketball and swimming are her favourite sports, especially as the children are getting old enough to join in.
Michael Allison, DMD
Dentist
Rhonda W.
Office Manager
Kris M.
Front Office Coordinator
Breaya S.
Dental Hygienist
Ivy
Dental Hygienist
May K.
Dental Assistant
Financial Policy
Patients with Insurance
The patient or responsible party (if under 18 years old) will be responsible for paying any deductible and estimated co-pay on the day of treatment.
As a courtesy to our patients, we will submit your treatment to your insurance carrier. We will estimate your portion of treatment based on your dental benefit breakdown, and we will make every effort to come as close as possible to your actual co-pay. We must emph asize this is only an estimate and all charges you incur are your responsibility regardless of dental insurance.
We provide insurance benefit breakdowns as a courtesy to our patients; however it is your responsibility, as the patient, to maintain a good relationship with your insurance carrier. Having a clear understanding of your dental benefits (provided by your employer or insurance company) will ensure you’re aware of your out of pocket expenses.
Patients without Insurance
All expenses are due the day of treatment.
- Forms of payment: Cash, check, credit card
- CareCredit, a healthcare line of credit. You may apply in office, online, or by phone. Your social security number is required to be on file if you are approved.
Outstanding Balances
Please be advised there will be a 1.5% monthly late fee to accounts with a balance due after 30 days. Statements are mailed once insurance pays their portion. Once your account reaches 60 days past due, we reserve the right to begin the collections process. A 35% processing fee will be added to your overdue account when in collections.
Emergency Appointments
Patients being seen on an emergency basis will be required to pay in full the day services are rendered. We will submit treatment to insurance if it is applicable. All other policies will apply.
Cancellation Policy
We ask for at least 2 Business days advance notice for canceling or rescheduling an appointment; otherwise a $75 per hour fee may be assessed to your account.
Note: All cancellation fees must be paid prior to scheduling another appointment.
The treatment that is planned for you is specific to you. It is important for you to keep the scheduled date and time to properly complete the treatment.
A broken appointment is a loss to three people:
- The patient who missed the valuable time
- Another patient who could have taken the valuable time
- The doctor who was fully staffed and prepared for the appointment
Here at UDistrict Smiles, we strive to give the best quality care to our patients. By your keeping the scheduled appointments you enable us to better serve you.
Map & Directions
Office Hours
Our office is open Monday through Friday, with hours that can accommodate most any schedule. We know that your time is important, and we work to ensure your visit is scheduled as professionally and quickly as possible.
Monday: 8am – 2pm
Tuesday: 8am – 2pm
Wednesday: 8am – 2pm
Thursday: 11am – 5pm
Friday: 8am – 2pm
Emergency and After Office Hours
We know dental emergencies are never convenient or timely and we are committed to our patients’ health no matter the time. If you are a current patient, and have a dental emergency after regular office hours, please call us at (206) 524-2000.