BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DentaQuest today announced the launch of its new platform – Preventistry – its all-in strategy to make oral health care more affordable, easier to access, driven by innovation and better integrated into the broader health care system. The company also outlined the evolution of its business in support of the Preventistry platform.
A purpose-driven oral health company, where business performance and social impact go hand-in-hand, DentaQuest is committed to fixing the oral health system and growing its business. DentaQuest serves more than 27 million Americans in 30 states and is the largest Medicaid dental program administrator in the U.S. DentaQuest is evolving beyond a traditional insurer to transform the way oral health care is delivered and financed, and plans to double its national provider footprint by 2023.
“The current oral health system is broken - too many people lack access to quality care or cannot afford the care they do get, and the industry overall is in dire need of innovative solutions,” said Steve Pollock, President and CEO of DentaQuest. “Preventistry reflects how we are evolving our business strategy to fundamentally transform the system. It is a call to action for the kind of change necessary to advance oral health for all, and we want to work with policy makers, dentists and oral health advocates to revolutionize oral health.”
As part of its evolved business strategy, DentaQuest is actively working with states around the country to implement value-based care approaches for oral health to improve outcomes and lower costs. The organization is also investing $20 million in grants and programs in 2019 to advance person-centered oral health. In support of making Preventistry a reality for all, DentaQuest is improving oral health in fundamental ways:
- Pioneering value-based care approaches for Medicaid. As the national leader in Medicaid oral health programs, DentaQuest is pioneering value-based care approaches for oral health and actively working with states around the country to implement these models to improve outcomes and lower costs. Over the past year, DentaQuest entered into new Medicaid partnerships in five states - Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington - that incorporate necessary building blocks for value-based approaches in the future. Through established programs in Texas and Oregon, DentaQuest is actively supporting the shift to accountable care organizations for Medicaid. The company is also prepared to integrate oral health into accountable oral care in Massachusetts.
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Expanding provider footprint to transform care delivery. Over
the next five years, DentaQuest plans to double the number of oral
health centers it manages across the country, bringing Preventistry
in care delivery to scale. DentaQuest currently manages 85 oral health
centers in Alabama, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Oregon and Texas.
DentaQuest’s oral health centers embrace a prevention-first model in delivering care, with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing the need for acute and restorative services over time. A prevention-first model focuses on early oral health interventions such as risk assessment, dental sealants, motivational interviewing, and education for pregnant women.
This model has demonstrated strong results in Massachusetts and Oregon. The DentaQuest Oral Health Center in Westborough, MA has successfully reduced the percentage of patients requiring dental surgery, such as root canals and crowns, to 9 percent, compared to the 22 percent state average. At Advantage Dental from DentaQuest, Oregon’s largest dental accountable care organization, a Preventistry model has resulted in patients getting healthy and staying healthy, with 85 percent of the services being provided to patients are preventive or diagnostic. -
Investing to change a broken oral health system. Today,
DentaQuest announced that its nonprofit parent company will invest $20
million in grants and programs to drive fundamental transformation of
the oral health system. Investments will include strategic
philanthropy, care delivery improvement programs, research and
innovation, including, but not limited to:
- Ongoing support for the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN), the only national oral health network with more than 1,400 participants and organizations committed to advancing systems change and health equity;
- Commitment of $1 million grant to RIZE Massachusetts to combat opioid addiction;
- Development of telehealth pilot program enabling virtual medical visits in the dental chair;
- Expansion of Medical Oral Expanded (MORE) Care to Central Oregon, a framework created by the DentaQuest Institute to support integrating medical and dental care to improve access in rural communities; and,
- Creation of the Oral Health Value-Based Care Academy to empower the future oral health workforce to thrive and succeed in a value-based delivery system.
Today’s announcement builds on the company’s 10-year history of providing more than $200 million in research, programs and grants to local and national organizations to advance the health of communities across the U.S.
On November 15 at 11:00 a.m. ET, DentaQuest is hosting a live broadcast event where it will unveil Preventistry and ask thought leaders in oral health what must be done to improve oral health for all. To learn more and watch the event, visit www.preventistry.org/live.
About DentaQuest
DentaQuest is a purpose-driven oral health care company that is dedicated to advancing oral health for all. We bring a uniquely holistic perspective to our work – as we manage dental and vision benefits for more than 27 million Americans and provide direct care to patients through our network of more than 85 oral health centers in five states.
DentaQuest provides flexible and customized dental solutions for Medicaid and CHIP, Medicare Advantage, small and large businesses and individuals throughout the U.S. Our clients range from state governments to leading health plans.
At DentaQuest, we believe that business performance and social impact go hand-in-hand, and we have provided more than $200 million in funding for research, grants, and programs to advance oral health in communities across the country.
Our mission is bold – our commitment is strong. By advancing oral health for everyone, we will achieve better health for all. Welcome to Preventistry.
To learn more about DentaQuest and Preventistry, visit Preventistry.org, and follow us on social: Twitter @DentaQuest, Facebook www.facebook.com/DentaQuest, Instagram @Inside_DentaQuest, and LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/DentaQuest.
