Pursuing cost savings in dental benefits

Employee Benefit News, December, 2004 by Leah Carlson

Two emerging cost-saving initiatives in dental benefits are vying for the attention of cost-conscious employers.

Disease management, an increasingly popular approach in the heath insurance industry, is spreading to dentistry, as a new pilot program concentrates on preventing gum disease and tooth decay. Additionally, two insurers have introduced a plan design that combines the best features of dental PPOs and HMOs.

Delta Dental Plan of Massachusetts recently launched a disease management program that represents a shift from dentistry's traditional focus on repair to a new emphasis on prevention.

The first step is risk assessment. Dentists in the pilot program determine each patient's risk for cavities, based on their diet, health, fluoride intake, cavity...