Delta Dental of Tennessee will begin offering expanded benefits to patients with special needs Jan. 1, 2024.
Dental care is often cited as the most unmet healthcare need for individuals with intellectual disabilities, Delta Dental said in a June 28 news release.
The added benefits include additional consultations, up to four dental cleanings per year and treatment delivery modifications for patients with sensory sensitivities, behavioral challenges, severe anxiety or other barriers to treatment.
The benefits will be made available to patients of all ages under the payer's individual and family plans and to all fully-insured clients. Self-insured clients will also have the opportunity to opt-in for the expanded benefits for contracts already in service.
The dental insurer is also offering a new training program to help dentists better understand and care for patients with special needs. The company developed a series of free professional development programs hosted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Dental Medicine program. Dentists and support staff who complete at least 18 courses within three years will receive a Disabilities Dentistry Clinician Expert designation.