Value-Based Care

Value-Based Care (VBC)

At DentaQuest, we talk with people every day who are both in need of dental care and concerned about the cost of their care. We process claims for a long list of important services provided to children and adults experiencing tooth decay.

While necessary, these covered services are delivered in response to an already present dental disease. Fillings and extractions address the impact of disease but do not address or eliminate its cause; restorative care is more costly and preventive care is more valuable.

In a value-based system, quality and outcomes improve while costs remain the same or fall because the healthier a person is, the less they require expensive services.

A key driver in the success of a value-based system is aligning new payment models that reward care and outcomes and not the volume of services. 

What Is Value-Based Care?

The value-based care (VBC) care delivery model rewards providers for quality health outcomes rather than the quantity of care delivered. In this approach, providers focus on improving the health of a population of patients by offering care that is focused on prevention, best evidence and personalization. This shift allows care teams to maximize “chair time” and productivity, and the industry to better integrate with the overall health care system. Payors are starting to move away from the outdated fee-for-service model and toward alternative value-based payment models, such as capitation or global payment, bonus and incentive payments and shared savings models with or without shared risk.

While achieving true VBC in oral health care will not happen overnight, DentaQuest is uniquely positioned to help to drive this change. We are working to redesign payment models to reward providers for keeping patients healthy. And we’re helping providers develop individualized, interactive plans that allow patients to play a more engaged role in improving their own oral health.