TOP 10 MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS OF 2024
The ODA Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice held a meeting with representatives from Delta Dental earlier this year to discuss insurance issues on behalf of all ODA members. Pictured: Dr. Jeffery W. Johnston, vice president and chief science officer of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana; Dr. Maryann Jacko 2023-24 vice chair of the ODA Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice; Dr. Manny Chopra, 2023-24 ODA president; Dr. Tracy Poole-Swerlein, 2023-24 chair of the ODA Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice at the time of the photo.
Non-covered services legislation was signed into law
On July 24, 2024, Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 40, which prohibits dental insurance companies from forcing dentists to accept fee levels set by dental insurers for services the insurers do not cover. The ODA has pursued this legislation for several years. Ohio joins more than 40 other states with similar legislation.
We are providing non-covered services patient notice language to members
As part of the new non-covered services legislation, dental care providers will be required to post special notice language in their offices if they choose to charge their regular fee and not to accept the amount set by a dental insurance company for non-covered dental care services. The ODA created a resource for ODA members to utilize in their office if they will not be accepting the insurer’s fee schedules for services that insurance companies do not cover. The resource includes the required patient notice language that dentists need to post in their office and was passed out at ODA Annual Session and at local dental society events. It also can be downloaded from www.oda.org.
ODASC celebrated its 40th anniversary
The ODA Services Corp. celebrated 40 years of serving ODA members by endorsing products and services and securing exclusive discounts. Today, the ODA Services Corp. endorses 20 products and services. Products range from insurance plans including group-rated workers’ compensation coverage to practice resource products like credit card processing, dental practice marketing and in-office membership plans. Two of the most popular products are the OhioDDS group purchasing organization and the ODA Wellness Trust health benefits plan. This year, the ODA Services Corp. has endorsed two new companies – Abyde, which provides HIPAA compliance services and 3C, which provides managed IT services. Stay tuned next year for another endorsed company announcement!
We took steps to help increase the dental workforce
The ODA ran a series of radio, digital and social media advertisements aimed at attracting new dental assistants and hygienists into the workforce. The advertisements highlight the benefits of becoming a dental assistant or hygienist and point listeners to visit oda.org, speak to their school guidance counselor or a dentist in their community to learn more. The radio ads are airing on ONN stations across the state. The ODA Dental Education and Licensure Committee also ran a series of articles in the “ODA Today” on dental workforce and employment issues to help members recruit and retain staff.
We helped members resolve dental insurance issues
We helped address issues many members had with insurance companies and third-party payers that they were unable to resolve on their own. ODA staff responded to about 300 phone calls and emails from ODA members and their offices and answered questions about dental insurance issues. Volunteer ODA member dentists who serve on the ODA Council on Dental Care Programs and Dental Practice and the ODA Dental Insurance Working Group directly assisted 29 member dentists to date during 2024. The ODA also met with the top dentist of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana to discuss insurance issues on behalf of all ODA members.
The ODA health benefits plan is celebrating its 10th anniversary
ODA Wellness Trust is celebrating its 10th anniversary, which marks a significant milestone in providing accessible and affordable health care coverage to ODA members. One of the key achievements of the ODA Wellness Trust over the past decade has been its ability to adapt to changing market dynamics and evolving member needs. The ODA Wellness Trust is a private, dentist-owned, self-funded health benefits plan, developed by ODA member dentists for ODA member dentists, their families, and their staff members to provide high quality health benefits at affordable rates. By providing coverage to over 3,000 total enrollees, the ODA Wellness Trust continues to be one of the most utilized programs through the ODA Services Corp.
Medicaid fees went into effect, and we saw a dramatic improvement in program
After years of advocacy efforts, new reimbursement rates for Medicaid dental services went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024 and increased on average by 93%. According to ADA data, in 2021, Ohio’s Medicaid reimbursements for children’s dental services were on average 44% of private insurance reimbursement. At that time, Ohio Medicaid’s reimbursements for children’s dental services ranked 42 out of 50 states. Today, according to a new report from the ADA, under these new rates, Ohio Medicaid reimbursements for children’s dental services are 87% of average private dental insurance reimbursements for the same services. Ohio now ranks eighth out of 50 states in terms of Medicaid reimbursements for children’s dental services.
Ohio joined the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Licensure Compact
On July 24, 2024, Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 40, which authorizes Ohio to enter the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Licensure Compact. The compact is an agreement between states that provides a pathway through which dentists and dental hygienists can obtain authorization to practice in states where they are not licensed through a compact privilege. The compact promotes professional practice mobility while maintaining appropriate state dental board oversight.
The ODA Subcouncil on Diversity and Inclusion started a new book club
The ODA Subcouncil on Diversity and Inclusion launched an ODA Book Club. The Subcouncil is choosing a diverse pool of authors and genres and will meet virtually to discuss them. The Subcouncil on Diversity and Inclusion, a subcouncil of the Council on Membership Services, serves to recruit and retain underrepresented demographics as members of the ODA and creates leadership development opportunities and training to grow and cultivate a broader pool of diverse leadership candidates.
ODA received the Ohio Department of Health’s Dr. James F. Quilty, Jr. Champions of Oral Health Award
The ODA received the Dr. James F. Quilty, Jr. Award for Champions of Oral Heath from the Ohio Department of Health, which recognizes efforts that result in improved oral health for all Ohioans. The ODA organizes or partners with several access to care programs, including Give Kids A Smile, Dental OPTIONS, Volunteer Connections and the Ohio Dent Loan Repayment Program.
