Report highlights Benevis’ milestones in improving dental care access for approximately five million children and the changes in oral healthcare in the U.S. over two decades
Benevis, a leading dental support organization (DSO) for practices focused on dental care and orthodontics, announces the release of the company’s first annual Impact Report. The report provides a 20-year lookback into the state of oral health in the United States, and the dental leader’s history of expanding the reach of care to approximately five million underserved patients in 13 states and the District of Columbia.
Since the release of the first Report on Oral Health in America from the Surgeon General in 2000, there have been many advances. From the adoption of pediatric dental services as an essential health benefit in the 2014 Affordable Care Act to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2022 vision of delivering universal oral health coverage for all by 2030, oral health is receiving greater attention in public policy. But still, challenges persist more than two decades later to deliver affordable, equitable, and accessible care. With cost cited as the top reason for not visiting the dentist regardless of income, age, or source of dental benefits, dental care has greater financial barriers than any other healthcare service in the U.S. Despite Medicaid benefits, less than half of all eligible children in the U.S. receive preventive dental services.
Established in 2002, Benevis is committed to breaking down the barriers to oral healthcare by expanding access to affordable, high-quality dental care for children and families in disadvantaged and underserved communities across the country. Benevis supports a network of like-minded, community-focused dentists. Its compassionate team prioritizes local community support and patient education to make a national impact. Over the past 20 years, Benevis has:
● Proudly served more than 600,000 children and adults a year during 1.2 million visits in 120 communities and 13 states and the District of Columbia.
● Cared for approximately five million patients, with 82% currently on Medicaid or CHIP plans.
● Treated 3.9 million kids, supporting the company’s commitment to raise the standard of children’s oral healthcare through early intervention.
● Established routine dental care, treatment plans, and dental homes for patients during one of 25.5 million visits to Benevis offices.
● Worked with more than10,500 dentists, caregivers, and teammates to help improve the trajectory of dental care in the U.S.
● Treated patients for 1.7 million emergencies, 19 million fillings and sealants, and over 200,000 orthodontics.
● Donated thousands of hours and treated more than 2,500 children through Sharing Smiles Day, a Benevis initiative launched in 2015 to provide a day of free dental services to kids in the greatest need of care in surrounding communities.
● Partnered with Head Start programs, schools, and Community Health Centers to deliver high-quality dental care to underserved and vulnerable patient populations.
Better access to essential dental healthcare is central to the mission at Benevis. As a longtime advocate for dentists and patients providing care to the underserved, the company has supported policy for reimbursement rate improvements across state Medicaid plans, seeing progress in states it supports, including Virginia, Maryland, Mississippi, and Georgia. “We have spent the last 20 years working to change the state of oral healthcare across the U.S. to better support our dentists, providers, partner organizations, and most importantly our patients, many of which are children,” said Dr. Dale Mayfield, Benevis chief dental officer. “Educating children and their families on the importance of oral health, hygiene and its link to overall health not only sets children up for success to perform their best in school, but it also has a greater impact on the overall wellness of our communities.”
“I’m proud to celebrate our 20th anniversary and the important milestones we’ve achieved in our mission of bringing smiles to kids and families, as highlighted in our first annual Benevis Impact Report. For two decades, we’ve been changemakers in the dental care of millions of underserved patients, with children’s smiles at the heart of our care. We remain dedicated to making a difference in dental care through our expansive reach, ease of access, and compassionate care,” said Bryan Carey, Benevis CEO.
For more on the state of oral health in the U.S. and how Benevis has connected underserved communities to dental care for two decades, read the full Benevis Impact Report.
