Teledentistry.com

Member benefits in several markets to include virtual 24/7 dentist appointments, personalized patient outreach

LAS VEGAS, NV, USA, August 1, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BOSTON, Mass. July 31, 2023 – DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S., and Teledentistry.com
have partnered to bring DentaQuest members virtual, anytime access to dental providers,
alleviating barriers to care with particular focus on those in need of service after hours or while
traveling. By the end of 2023, the organizations expect to make 24/7 dental care available to
Medicaid and commercial dental plan members in 20 states, increasing access to care for more
than 3.5 million members. DentaQuest Medicaid and CHIP members in several states, including
New Hampshire and Arizona, already have access to the service.
Teledentistry refers to virtual dental appointments via voice and video technology, specifically
enabling patients to consult with a licensed dentist, get treatment including possible nonnarcotic
prescription medication, and receive oral health education online. A recent pilot program at
DentaQuest’s affiliate dental practices in one state revealed that 30% of teledentistry consult
patients did not need to follow up with in-person care and saved up to $140 per visit.
“Together, DentaQuest and Teledentistry.com bring decades of leadership and program
expertise to our comprehensive nationwide provider network,” said Brett Bostrack, chief network
officer for DentaQuest. “Virtual visits present a great new opportunity to ensure everyone – no
matter where you are or what time of day – can access quality, efficient and effective oral health
care. They also help to alleviate overburdened hospital emergency departments and dental
practice front-office staff.”
In addition to virtual dental care, the partnership is implementing patient-centered engagement
services, starting with DentaQuest Medicaid and CHIP members. MESH, or Member
Engagement for Sustainable Healthcare, aims to raise awareness and use of available dental
benefits, help identify oral disease, and get the patient established in a patient-centered dental
home for definitive and ongoing care. For example, one program includes pediatrician outreach
and fluoride varnish – proven to lower caries rates and an important metric for children’s oral
health – that can be applied at home with instruction from a Teledentistry.com provider.

“We are excited to help expand access to dental care for DentaQuest members all over the
country,” said Dr. Vilas Sastry, chief executive officer of Teledentistry.com. “Teledentistry is not
only an effective delivery model to reduce reliance on emergency rooms for nontraumatic dental
conditions, but also a pathway to improved preventive care for thousands of people, and we
look forward to growing this partnership.”
In a survey of existing patients, Teledentistry.com found high satisfaction – an average rating of
4.65 out of 5 – with the ease of experience, and nearly 70% of respondents would have gone to
the emergency room as the alternative way to get the care they needed.
In addition to reducing reliance on emergency departments (EDs) for nontraumatic dental
issues, teledentistry enables:
 initial oral health screenings prior to a first in-person visit;
 caries risk assessments and referral to a dental home;
 targeted outreach for historic under-utilizers of preventive services;
 dental chronic care management with efficient, lower-cost dental hygiene at-home
monitoring;
 pediatric dental outreach, including offering at-home fluoride varnish guidance; and
 effective medical-dental integration, including pediatric medical office programs and in-
hospital ED dentist referral programs for ongoing dental care.
The partnership also expands on Teledentistry.com’s existing relationship with Sun Life U.S.,
which offers the benefit to commercial dental members. In the case of products distributed
through Sun Life, group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of
Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and
Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.).

About DentaQuest                                                   
DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S., is a purpose-driven health care company dedicated to
improving the oral health of all. We do this through Preventistry^® — our inclusive approach to
quality care and expanded access built on trusted partnerships between patients, providers and
payors. As one of the nation’s largest and most experienced Medicaid dental benefits
administrators, we manage dental and vision benefits for approximately 37 million Americans
through a nationwide network of providers in all 50 states. Our outcomes-based, cost-effective
dental solutions are designed for Medicaid and CHIP, Medicare Advantage, small and large
businesses, and individuals. At the same time, we are expanding our footprint of more than 70
oral health centers in six states to deliver direct patient care in rural and underserved
populations. Learn more at www.DentaQuest.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram
and LinkedIn.

Vilas Sastry
Teledentistry.com
+ +1 888-588-3394
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.