Value-based care is a critical component of the future of oral health, as well as the underpinning for our revolutionary approach to improving the oral health of all - Preventistry.

The system of value-based care in oral health is focused on proactively preventing dental disease rather than reacting to it. In particular, this means placing the value on quality care and healthy outcomes, not on the cost of services as in the fee-for-service model most common today.

It’s important to note, though, that value is not intended as a code word for cost control. Instead, value refers to worth – should a healthy person be worth more to the system than a person who needs expensive services? We need to position our health care system around valuing health because, in fact, a healthy person is more valuable to our health care system than a person who remains ill.

In a value-based system, quality and outcomes should improve while costs remain the same or fall because the healthier a person is, the less they require expensive services.

At DentaQuest, we talk with people every day who are both in need of dental care and concerned about the cost of their care. We process claims for a long list of services provided to children and adults experiencing caries (tooth decay). While access to care to treat cavities is extremely important, these covered services are delivered in response to an already present dental disease. Fillings and extractions address the impact of disease but do not address or eliminate its cause – or said another way, restorative care is more costly and preventive care is more valuable.

Achieving true value-based care in oral health care won’t happen overnight, but within the Preventistry approach, we at DentaQuest are driving this change and working with a variety of partners to bring the entire country along the journey. DentaQuest is uniquely positioned to drive this change by:

• Redesigning payment models to reward providers for keeping patients healthy
• Enabling providers and their dental teams to develop individualized, interactive care plans that allow the patient and their families to play a more active and engaged role in improving their own oral health

As the year continues, look for more about how we’re increasing the use of alternative payment models that promote value and deploying tools that help providers focus on and achieve better oral health and health outcomes for their patients through a value-based approach to care.

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.