Dental Homes

A dental home is the ongoing relationship between a dental care provider and a child or family, similar to a primary care physician in health care. By establishing routine checkups every six months and treatment when necessary, patients are provided with preventive oral health care that greatly diminishes their risk of dental disease, and establishes overall health and longevity. Dental homes are designed to be safe, compassionate spaces where families can take charge of and learn about their own health.

Why are dental homes so important?

Healthy habits are best established early. By fostering compassionate relationships between children and their local dental providers and teams, children are more likely to get the care they need at the right time, and be educated on why oral health is essential to overall health. A dental home also enables dental care teams to coordinate care for children and their parents, ensuring preventive care and treatment at all stages of life for the entire household. Establishing a dental home can reduce financial burden and decrease the number of dental procedures experienced by patients over their lifetime.

How Are Dental Homes Assigned?

Millions of our members are currently assigned to dental homes and we consider many factors during the assignment process:

• The dental home listed on the eligibility file

• History at an identified dental home

• Distance from home to the dental home

• Siblings currently assigned to a dental home

• Age in relation to the ages the dental office treats

• Available capacity of the dental home location

Members are free to change their dental home assignment at any time. The most important thing is to establish a relationship with an oral health care provider you trust.

While today, government programs make up the majority of those that embrace the dental home model, it is a great way to ensure consistent access to quality care for members of any type of dental insurance plan. We work with clients and industry partners to show how the dental home model can work them.