The organization shares a 'thank you' to healthcare providers and dental care teams that prioritize the treatment of underserved patient populations
Benevis, a leading dental support organization (DSO) for practices focused on dental care and orthodontics, and its 120 dental offices in 13 states and the District of Columbia, are proud to support Medicaid Awareness Month this April. Benevis has pledged to expand access to high-quality oral care for underserved children and their families and continues to deliver on its mission to improve patients' lives by changing the paradigm of dental health in the United States.
Benevis is honoring Medicaid Awareness Month by thanking all the healthcare providers and dental care teams that dedicate their time—personally and professionally—to helping underserved patient populations. Serving disadvantaged communities has long been a hurdle in the dental health community, with only 43 percent of U.S. dentists accepting Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) plans for children, and 67 percent of them not ever treating a single child. Oral health is healthcare, too, and work still needs to be done to expand access to care and improve the trajectory of dental health in America.
"To better serve diverse patient populations, collaboration across medical communities like primary care providers and oral healthcare teams is key," explained Dr. Peter Igoe, DDS, Louisiana State Dental Director, Benevis. "Even in 2023, millions of American families still lack insurance eligibility and enrollment access which makes Benevis' work to lower financial, educational, and geographical barriers so vital to ensure everyone can enjoy happy, healthy smiles."
Benevis is proud to be among the small group of dental providers, 18 percent, who choose to manage a Medicaid population that includes more than 100 child visits annually. The DSO serves over 500,000 children, 82 percent of whom are Medicaid patients.
To continue to tackle the geographical and coverage barriers to dental care that persist nationwide, especially in marginalized communities where the need is often the greatest, Benevis offers a variety of oral health resources to inspire healthcare providers and patients to focus on the importance of dental health. The resources include:
● Free Dental Care: Benevis will provide free dental care to uninsured families during Sharing Smiles Day on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Dentists and hygienists will provide high-quality and compliant dental care in 26 locally branded Benevis dental practices across 11 states. Benevis encourages families to register at www.SharingSmilesDay.com in advance of the event.
● Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Guide: Families can find information on health insurance programs and dental providers in their state by visiting InsuranceKidsNow.gov through their interactive map.
● Physician Dental Home Playbook: For healthcare providers looking to help patients establish a dental home or to review oral risk assessments and care checklists, please reference the Dental Home Playbook.
To learn more about Benevis' 20-year history of expanding the reach of oral care to impact approximately five million disadvantaged children and families, please watch this video.
