Spring 2021

Paper checks vs. EFT

Streamline the claims submission process and get paid faster when you utilize Dental Office Toolkit® (DOT) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

Last year, COVID-19 resulted in a closure of the Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana mailroom. For dentists using EFT and electronic claims submission through DOT, there were no delays in claims processing or payment. However, dentists not utilizing these services could not have claims processed until the mailroom was able to reopen. This resulted in a backlog of claims and therefore, delayed payments to dentists. 

When submitting a paper claim, it can take Delta Dental up to 10 business days to process your claim. This is because it has to pass through numerous hands before it can be routed for processing.

Delta Dental recognizes the importance of maintaining your business, especially during the pandemic. Cash flow is vital to the ongoing success of your business.

When signing up for EFT, you also have the option to sign up for National Electronic Funds Transfer/Electronic Remittance Advice (EFT/ERA) and receive direct deposit payments from Delta Dental member companies nationwide!

To help you avoid any future delays in claims processing or payments, we recommend that all dentists take advantage of DOT and EFT. Visit the Dentist—Tools and Resources section of our website for information.

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$11 million in credits

Last year, Delta Dental offered all active, licensed dentists in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana—regardless of Delta Dental network participation—a $1,000 credit to dental supplies and equipment distributor Henry Schein.

Available through December 31, 2020, providers could use the credit toward existing account balances or toward any future purchase of dental products and/or services from Henry Schein.

In total, we distributed more than $11 million in Henry Schein credits.

We followed up with some recipients to see how they put the credit to use. Here’s what a few had to say:

“We used our funds for PPE—gloves, masks and face shields. The assistance was greatly appreciated. As demands went up, so did our investment in these items.”
—Dr. Brian Nylaan; Nylaan Dental in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Delta Dental participating provider

“We purchased new software to drive practice efficiency (go paperless).”
—Dr. Kulbir (Nikki) Jassal; Glowing Smiles Dental in Troy, Michigan; Delta Dental participating provider

“We used our $1,000 credit to purchase needed PPE and supplies to reopen our doors after being closed for 76 days. Thank you Delta Dental.”
—Dr. Ahmad Deebajah; Farmington Family Dental in Farmington, Michigan; Delta Dental participating provider

“I used my credit from Henry Schein to purchase PPE and Arestin (antibiotic) for my (periodontal) patients. It was so helpful to have that $1,000 to help after we were closed for so long. I wasn’t allowed to see any patients from mid-March through July as I am a kidney transplant patient and I had to stay as safe as I could. This credit helped me get a few necessary items to get my practice up and running.”
—Dr. Sue Cabadas; Sue Cabadas DDS in Allen Park, Michigan; Delta Dental participating provider

“Our office was able to use the credit toward our PPE, additional disinfecting supplies, headrest covers, etc. We appreciate the credit given to our office.”
—Missy Wurzelbacher; Zettler Orthodontics in Hamilton, Ohio; Delta Dental participating provider

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Navigating DOT

The Dental Office Toolkit® (DOT) is a free online tool, available 24/7, that helps provider offices streamline daily tasks. Within DOT, you can:

  • Check member benefits including coverage, frequencies, maximums, etc.
  • Submit claims/pre-treatment estimates.
  • Search patient history.
  • View processing policies if available.
  • View/manage EFTs.
  • View provider fee schedules (certain networks only).
  • Manage DOT users for your business (Tax ID).

If you still need to sign up for DOT, or are new to the system, you can find helpful login details and tutorials here

The tutorials can address helpful topics like performing history searches or changing account access for an administrator. Remember that when performing a search, you should search by treating dentist.

Additionally, here are a few common questions we get from DOT users:

Which Delta Dental member companies can I view information and submit claims for within DOT? 

A list is available on your Service Office Details landing page. The Delta Dental member companies include:

  • Delta Dental of Michigan
  • Delta Dental of Ohio
  • Delta Dental of Indiana
  • Delta Dental of North Carolina
  • Delta Dental of Arkansas
  • Delta Dental of Kentucky
  • Delta Dental of Nebraska
  • Delta Dental of New Mexico
  • Delta Dental of Minnesota
  • Delta Dental of Tennessee
  • Delta Dental of Wisconsin (Medicare Advantage ONLY)

Where can I find the processing policies?

Once you have a member pulled up in DOT, you’ll see “Processing Policies” in the left-hand navigation under the “Member” heading.

Where can I find additional frequencies?

These are visible in a member’s processing policies. 

What does TIN mean?

TIN stands for Tax Identification Number.

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Delta Dental Foundation community investments

The Delta Dental Foundation recently approved more than $1 million in funding for initiatives in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. A few highlights include:

  • $125,000 to Project Accessible Oral Health for the national All Smiles Are Special campaign to bring national awareness to the inequities that exist in health care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • $113,200 to Five Rivers Health Centers in Dayton, Ohio, to purchase equipment for the Edgemont Campus Dental Center, which will have 10 dental chairs with electronic dental record and digital X-ray capability. This move will consolidate five locations and eight departments into one central location to create a one-stop shop for patient care.
  • $59,650 to Dr. Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic in Pontiac, Michigan, to provide University of Michigan School of Dentistry students with a better understanding of and exposure to community-based care. This Expanded Oral Health Access Partnership will increase patient capacity by adding a fourth dental operatory and employing two to three dental students three days per week.
  • $20,000 to Dental Lifeline Network Indiana for the Donated Dental Service program that provides free dental care to individuals with disabilities, the elderly and those who are medically fragile through a statewide network of volunteers.

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Mobilizing dental care in Detroit

Ford Motor Company Fund and Delta Dental are teaming up with Kare Mobile to help address an urgent shortfall in many underserved Detroit neighborhoods—the lack of quality, reliable dental care.

The joint initiative, which also includes Lightship Foundation, is launching the Motor City Kares giveaway to offer one minority dentist the opportunity to win a $150,000 Ford Transit mobile dental office to serve children and families in low-income communities.  

“Quality, reliable dental care is not available to many children in Detroit’s most underserved ZIP codes,” said Dr. Kwane Watson, founder and CEO, Kare Mobile. “We expect this initiative to help change that because everyone deserves access to comprehensive oral health care.”

The Motor City Kares giveaway runs from now through April 16. Interested minority dental professionals can visit kare.mobi/mck to learn more and apply. The winner will be selected by a panel of judges from Ford Fund, Kare Mobile, Delta Dental and Lightship Foundation and notified in late spring.  

The winning dentist will operate the mobile dental clinic for at least two years, which will allow them to build a stable practice including non-Medicaid patients—creating a sustainable business for themselves and a long-term dental resource for the community.

“This partnership is about improving public health and building community wealth,” said Margaret Trimer, vice president of strategic partnerships for Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. “We are not solely investing in dental care but lifting up minority entrepreneurs so they can provide critical access to care right here in Detroit.”   

The giveaway winner will be mentored by the team at Kare Mobile and attend an incubator bootcamp run by Lightship Foundation—the first inclusion-focused entrepreneur advancement program in the Midwest. Delta Dental and Ford Fund worked together on the purchase and retrofitting of the Transit Van. 

Over the course of the two-year agreement, the winning dentist will be required to serve in southeast Michigan at least 50 percent of their time and help provide reliable dental care in southwest Detroit’s Corktown and Mexicantown neighborhoods. They will leverage services currently provided by the Ford Resource and Engagement Center in southwest Detroit, as well as Michigan Central Station’s mobility-based programs and operations. At the end of the agreement, the business and mobile clinic is theirs to keep. 

“The Motor City Kares giveaway allows us to combine Ford’s expertise in transportation with Ford Fund’s commitment to strengthening communities,” said Mary Culler, president, Ford Motor Company Fund. “We are pleased to support an innovative mobility solution that brings essential dental services directly to residents and that will benefit these neighborhoods for years to come.”

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2021 Medicare awareness

If you are a Delta Dental Medicare Advantage™ PPO provider, you may receive calls from medical patients of Molina Healthcare looking for a Medicare Advantage provider. We've put together a quick reference guide to help you administer this new program.

Why?

Effective January 1, 2021, Delta Dental continued its partnership with the Medicare Advantage program to provide dental coverage to enrollees in Michigan and additional states listed below:

Molina Healthcare: CA, FL, TX, UT, ID, NM, OH, SC, WA, WI

Website: www.deltadentalins.com/molinahealthcare

Customer service: 888-818-7932
​​​​​
Online provider tools
24/7 access to benefits, eligibility and claims
www.deltadentalins.com/dentists/

Electronic Claims
Payer ID number
94276

Mail claims
PO Box 1809
Alpharetta, GA 30023

Important information

  • Just like for any other eligible patient with a PPO plan, you have agreed to accept the lesser of your PPO contracted fee or the fee submitted on the claim. Services are only covered when provided by providers who are part of Delta Dental's Medicare Advantage PPO network. Please check eligibility and benefits prior to treatment.
  • The Molina Healthcare program requires prior authorization for some dental services. Refer to the special program summary (PDF).
  • We have more than 14,000 Molina members in Michigan
  • Comprehensive dental plan
  • $0 member responsibility for covered services
  • No deductible
  • $2,500 annual maximum
  • Prior authorization required for most major services
  • Molina Plan Benefit Summary

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