TDMR has reported on a number of recent controversies regarding dental loss ratios and value-based care outside of Texas.
Now, to address these issues nationally, a Massachusetts-based dental organization, the American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality (AADIQ), has been formed by some of the nation’s most respected dentists. They are also pressing for changes to Medicaid.
Improving dental insurance coverage
According to their website at https://dentalinsurancequality.org, their mission is “to work cooperatively with United States patients, dentists, dental organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders for the purpose of improving the quality of dental benefits plans across the nation. To advocate for a federal dental loss ratio law, and other laws that monitor and improve dental benefit plan quality across the nation. To monitor, expose, and correct state and federal government non-compliance with state and federal Medicare/ Medicaid dental health laws.”
Prominent dentists involved
Based in Somerville, MA, the board of directors are each dental luminaries, including:
Dr. Mouhab Rizkallah DDS – President. In 2022, Dr. Rizkallah was honored as Dentistry Today’s “Person of the Year,” recognizing his remarkable contributions and leadership in dentistry. Dr. Rizkallah was the author and chairman of the Question 2 ballot initiative, which had an impressive 72% YES-vote victory, setting a dental loss ratio of 83% in the state in 2022.
Dr. Margaret Scarlett DDS – Vice President. Dr. Scarlett is a renowned dentist, author, and pandemic disease expert. She has provided invaluable guidance on infectious and chronic diseases to various esteemed organizations, including the CDC, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Department of State.
Dr. David Leader DDS – Treasurer. Dr. David Leader is the director of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine DMD/MPH Dual Degree Program. He is an associate professor in the Department of Comprehensive Care and the director of the dental emergency clinic.
Dr. Patricia Brown DDS – Director. Dr. Brown is a practicing orthodontist at Boston Orthodontics. She previously held an appointment as Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthodontics at Tufts University and also a staff appointment at Harvard University, where she established the orthodontics program at Harvard Holyoke Center Cambridge.
Dr. Andrew Chase DDS – Director. Dr. Chase is an orthodontics & dentofacial orthopedics practitioner with ARCH Orthodontics. He is renowned for specializing in providing teleconferences and bridging services to visualize preliminary orthodontic care, from orthodontic assessment to diagnosing TMJ, sleep apnea, and Invisalign assessments.
Objectives
There are three main objectives for the organization:
Working towards a federally legislated dental loss ratio for dental insurance carriers similar to the Affordable Care Act’s medical loss ratio for health care insurance providers.
Reforming Medicaid by ensuring states live up to their dental obligations under the Medicaid Act, and CMS is enforcing those obligations to be met.
Opposing value-based healthcare payment programs when they are seen to be capitation payment programs in disguise and a burden to dental providers.
To find out more, visit their website at https://dentalinsurancequality.org/. One can sign up for their email newsletter.