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High-Risk Medical Patients to Benefit From New Delta Dental Coverage

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 October 2006, 09:00 CDT

OKEMOS, Mich., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana (Delta Dental), the Midwest's largest dental benefits provider, announced today a new, innovative benefits package as part of its standard dental plan designs beginning January 1, 2007. The announcement comes as mounting scientific evidence suggests that early treatment and prevention of oral disease can improve quality of life and prevent premature death.

Delta Dental will enhance coverage for diabetics and pregnant women diagnosed with gum disease. It will also break new ground by offering special benefits for individuals with other high-risk medical conditions, including those experiencing kidney failure or who are undergoing dialysis, and those with suppressed immune systems due to chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment, HIV infection, organ transplant, and/or stem cell (bone marrow) transplant.

It is well established scientifically that individuals with serious health conditions like these are at increased risk for infection. These individuals may benefit from having their teeth cleaned professionally at more frequent intervals to reduce the build-up of bacteria in the mouth. This can help lower the risk that bacteria will enter the bloodstream, create infection, and further compromise overall health.

The new benefits increase the frequency of dental or periodontal cleanings to four annually instead of the traditional two in an effort to keep gum disease in check. Some individuals with conditions or treatments that can increase tooth decay will also have access to beneficial fluoride treatment.

"After a thorough review of extensive scientific research, we have decided to offer these evidence-based benefits that can improve the health and quality of life for thousands of our enrollees and lower medical treatment costs," said Thomas J. Fleszar, D.D.S., M.S., president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.

"Delta Dental's leadership in offering these expanded benefits to its enrollees underscores the importance of oral health to overall health," said Dr. Peter Polverini, dean of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. "The scientific evidence that has emerged points to a direct relationship between oral disease and other medical conditions, opening new frontiers in health care that will lead to improved patient outcomes."

Helping Diabetics Control Blood Glucose Levels

A number of research studies, including one underway with Delta Dental support at the University of Michigan and University of Detroit Mercy, show that when diabetics have their teeth cleaned professionally, their blood glucose levels are easier to control. This is significant because glycemic control has proven to be one of the best ways to prevent complications of diabetes, which can include blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, nervous system disease, amputations, and pregnancy complications. It appears that for every one-point reduction in hemoglobin A1c, a blood test that is a standard measure of glucose control, there is a 40 percent reduction in the risk for diabetic complications. A one-point reduction also appears to decrease the incidence of heart attacks in diabetics by 14 percent and diabetes-related deaths by 21 percent.

Helping Pregnant Women Give Birth to Healthy Babies

The increased frequency of cleanings will help expectant mothers give birth to full-term, healthy babies by preventing or minimizing gum disease, a condition that can increase the likelihood of premature birth. Scientific evidence has long indicated that pregnant women with gum disease are seven times more likely to give birth to premature babies. According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 19 percent of the 250,000 premature low-weight infants born in the U.S. each year may be attributed to infectious oral disease.

Improving the Oral Health of Patients with Other At-Risk Conditions

Individuals with other serious medical conditions will be eligible for the additional dental or periodontal maintenance cleanings when recommended by their dentist and physician. In addition to four cleanings annually, individuals who are undergoing head and neck radiation will also be eligible for coverage of professionally applied fluoride treatments twice each year. Because a common side effect of head and neck radiation is an increase in cavities, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research recommends fluoride treatment for those patients.

Delta Dental was a pioneer in using evidence-based research to evolve dental plan designs. It was the first dental benefits provider to change coverage for dental X-rays in the mid-1980s based on research that recommended reducing the frequency of X-rays for those not at high risk for tooth decay; as a result many patients have been protected from unnecessary radiation exposure. In 2004, it was one of the first to cover the cost of the brush biopsy diagnostic test for the early detection of oral cancer, a move that has saved lives and reduced health care costs.

Delta Dental of Michigan, with its affiliates in Ohio and Indiana, is the leading group dental benefits provider in the Midwest and paid out over $1.4 billion in 2005 for dental care for more than 5.5 million enrollees. The tri-state operation is ISO 9001 certified -- an international standard of excellence and quality -- and its call center holds the prestigious BenchmarkPortal Certification given in conjunction with the Center for Customer-Driven Quality located at Purdue University. The certification recognizes the call center as a "Certified Center of Excellence."

The company's headquarters is located in Okemos, Michigan with offices in Farmington Hills, and Grand Rapids, Michigan; Columbus, and Cleveland, Ohio; and, Indianapolis, Indiana. For additional information, visit http://www.deltadentalmi.com/ .

Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana

CONTACT: Jermaine Spight, spight@franco.com , or Susan Ferraro, ofFranco Public Relations Group, +1-313-567-5029, or +1-313-567-5046, for DeltaDental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana

Web site: http://www.deltadentalmi.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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