On Delta Dental and the National Association of Dental Plans

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

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ADA News Tries Sarcasm

[By D. Kellus Pruitt DDS]

For fear of retaliation, ADA officials are reluctant to admit that Delta Dental and other members of the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) have traditionally used the FTC as a tool to intimidate our professional organization. This means that for decades, the federal government has prevented the ADA from adequately representing the interests of dentist members. Something interesting happened in the ADA just days ago that is related to this tyranny. I assume frustration in the ADA’s unfair struggle against both Delta Dental and the FTC caused the editor of the ADA News to recently permit sarcasm for the first time in history – perhaps to attract attention to Delta’s policies?

A Humorous Article 

On August 9, ADA reporter Kelly Soderlund was given the green light to post an uncharacteristic, tongue-in-cheek introduction to her article, “Decision supports Massachusetts Dental Society insurance challenge.” http://www.ada.org/news/4558.aspx She sold it: “For nearly 40 years, Massachusetts dentists have had to abide by a regulatory order that allowed Delta Dental Plan of Massachusetts to receive an additional 5 percent discount off reimbursement fees in addition to other plan discounts.” Soderlund continues, “More than a decade ago, the Massachusetts Dental Society tried to get the order lifted but was unsuccessful. But now, after a reinstated five-year battle, the New England dentists can claim victory.”

OK. I lied.

In spite of her unintentionally humorous description of the Massachusetts Dental Society’s ineffectiveness, Soderlund was actually not sarcastic. That’s right. The ADA indeed hails this (very qualified) success as a long-fought glorious victory for dentists in Massachusetts where 95% of them are Delta preferred providers. That can’t be good for the health of Massachusetts dental patients. Managed care dentistry is dentistry by the lowest bidders with no quality control, and patients notice. Some stop going to the dentist, causing Delta Dental to reap even more profit. That is why it is not in Delta’s interest to satisfy their clients, and the employers who purchase Delta’s plans are clueless. This makes Delta Dental unaccountable to anyone.

The Delta Business Model 

Delta’s business model helps make the company one of the most unfair discount dentistry brokers in the nation, in my opinion. If you want proof, go to doctoroogle.com and visit any major city.

http://www.doctoroogle.com/dentist_ratings.cfm/pageID/2 Then compare dental patients’ ratings of Delta’s preferred providers to fee-for-service dentists’. In the numerous studies I’ve performed, Delta’s dentists’ average satisfaction level as determined by their patients is consistently inferior to fee-for-service dentists. (See Managed Care Report Card from November 10, 2008).

http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/transparency-and-managed-care?commentId=2013420%3AComment%3A19577

Delta Accountability? 

As you can see, since the FTC inhibits the ADA from honestly telling our story, dental care principals desperately need the ADA to open our Facebook so Delta can be held accountable to dentists and patients. Otherwise, Delta will never assume responsibility for the dental homes its preferred provider lists break apart – more often than not, sending their clients to less satisfying offices. What’s more, even Delta officials admit that “changing dentists causes fillings.” (See “Managed Care or Dental Homes – You can’t have both,” September 30, 2008)

http://community.pennwelldentalgroup.com/forum/topics/2013420:Topic:14014

FTC Fear 

If dentists and patients are not permitted to tell our story ourselves through the nationally recognized American Dental Association, we will always be 40 years behind Delta Dental and 5% short of what they owe us. Even though ADA leaders will forever be handicapped by fear of the FTC, individual Americans have nothing to fear. The failure of the Massachusetts Dental Association shows us that an ineffective ADA is worse than no ADA at all because a victory after 40 years is defeat.

MDA Victory 

One can read from Soderlund’s words that the Massachusetts Dental Association’s “victory” didn’t even slow Delta down. She writes “Delta Dental of Massachusetts has informed the ADA that the new reimbursement methodology will include the development of regional fee schedules. Information on exactly how those regional fee schedules will be developed and how that will affect dentists’ reimbursement has not yet been made available.” Whatever methodology Delta’s actuaries come up with, you can be sure it will be biased against their clients’ interests and will more than make up for the 5% of principals’ money that they conceded after 40 years. We simply must face the fact that the ADA isn’t helping. Soderlund continues: “The company also announced a new voluntary program to compensate dentists for successfully managing the care of higher risk patients. Delta Dental has not yet explained how that compensation would take effect.”

Assessment

Do you trust a Delta Dental consultant – who works on commission – to decide what is best for your patient? Or are you ready to demand that the ADA open our Facebook so we can all tell Delta Dental what we think of their unfair practices on an individual basis guaranteed by the First Amendment? Our patients depend on us to protect them from harm caused by greedy stakeholders. As Soderlund describes it, we’re losing, but not without humor.

Conclusion

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