WELLESLEY, Mass. — October 30, 2024 — DentaQuest, part of Sun Life U.S., today announced it recently was awarded dental managed care (DMC) contracts by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), through its subsidiary, California Dental Network. Medi-Cal beneficiaries in Sacramento and Los Angeles counties will have the choice of three dental managed care plans beginning July 2025. These contracts, combined with new Medicare Advantage and existing employer-sponsored dental insurance programs in California, will raise the number of Californians served by Sun Life U.S. Dental and its family of companies to nearly half a million lives. Sun Life U.S. is the nation’s largest administrator of dental benefits for Medicaid by membership.
Currently, there are approximately one million Medi-Cal beneficiaries across the two counties that are enrolled in DMC plans. DentaQuest will serve a portion of this membership directly through its own plan and as the third-party administrator for another DMC plan in the program. The DMC awardees are expected to deliver innovative programs that directly address health equity and the critical need for better access to care.
“California is one of the most culturally diverse states in our nation, so it requires public health plans that can address a range of needs and perceptions about health,” said David Healy, president, Dental, Sun Life U.S. “DentaQuest brings decades of experience serving Medicaid members in five of the nation’s top 10 most culturally diverse states. We understand how to implement value-based care programs that providers want to participate in, and our dental home model is one of the most successful in the nation. Our plan will offer a fresh choice for Medi-Cal members, with programs that increase access to care, promote preventive treatment and improve overall health outcomes.”
Earlier this year, DentaQuest donated $80,000 to grassroots organizations across California working to increase oral health education and access, and reduce the impact of social determinants of health. This support builds on prior investments to address the health workforce shortage, such as the Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine safety net externship. Increasing access to care and helping future providers get the education they need in California and beyond, are part of DentaQuest’s long-standing commitment to improving the oral health of all.
If you are a Medi-Cal dental provider in California, visit the website to learn how to join the DentaQuest network.
ABOUT DENTAQUEST
Sun Life U.S. Dental, which includes DentaQuest, is dedicated to improving the oral health of all through purpose-driven, outcomes-based solutions. We make dental benefits better for everyone through Preventistry® – an inclusive approach centered on preventive, quality care, expanded access and solutions built on valued relationships across the health care ecosystem. We manage dental and vision benefits for approximately 36 million Americans. For 30 years, we have delivered cost-effective benefit plans and services for employer groups, individuals, health plans, and government-sponsored dental programs. We are the largest Medicaid and CHIP dental benefits administrator in the U.S., by membership. We also support direct patient care through an expanding network of approximately 75 dental practices in underserved communities across the United States. Learn more about Sun Life U.S. Dental at Sunlife.com/dental and DentaQuest.com.
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