BITES&BRIEFS


ADA Issues New Guidance on Terminating Network Agreements


The ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs has a new online document, Terminating a Network Agreement, which seeks to answer frequently asked questions, including


• How much time is needed to terminate the agreement?


• Where do I send the termination letter?


• What should I expect after the termination takes effect?


“You may find that it’s time to renegotiate your network fee schedule or even that participa- tion is no longer working in your practice,” said Dr. Sara Stuefen, chair of the Dental Benefit Information Subcommittee of the council. “Terminating an agreement can be complicated and you may not know where to start. The council felt that creating the guide was an impor- tant document to have available to our members.”


The guide starts by reminding dentists to consider using the ADA’s Contract Analysis Service before signing the initial agreement. The document further discusses:


• Things to consider in making the individual decision to terminate. • Best practices to consider in preparing your office for termination. • What to expect after the termination.


The ADA has also created contract negotiation tools including a guide to help you with any fee discussions with dental insurance plans. Find links to the Terminating a Network Agreement document and the Contract Analysis Service at adanews.ada.org/ada-news/2023/ november/new-ada-guidance-released-on-terminating-network-agreements.


This article first appeared on ADA.org and is part of the Dental Insurance Hub series to help dentists and their dental teams overcome dental insurance obstacles so they can focus on patient care. Visit the Hub for ready-to-use dental insurance information that can help dentists address and resolve even their most frustrating questions at ADA.org/dentalinsurance.


FREE MATERIALS FOR Children’s Dental Health Month


T


Laurel Road Offering Greater Percentage Reduction + Free One-on-One Consultation


DA Members now get an exclusive 0.30 percent reduc- tion on loans (up from 0.25 percent). In addition, Laurel Road has added a student loan consultation service, called GradFin, to their offerings. GradFin will give members a free 30-minute one-on-one consultation to review their student loan history, analyze their repayment and forgive- ness options, and help them create a personalized plan. Read the complete ADA News story at adanews.ada.org/ ada-news/2023/november/new-savings-free-student-loan- consultation-offered-by-laurel-road.


A 8 focus | WINTER 2023 | ISSUE 4


he theme of the ADA 2024 Nation- al Children’s Dental Health Month is “Healthy Habits for Healthy


Smiles!” The February 2024 National Chil- dren’s Dental Health Month, promoted by the ADA, is a month-long national health observance that brings together thousands of professionals, health care providers and educators to promote the benefits of good oral health to children, their caregivers, teachers and others.


Posters (12”x18”) are free and come with English on the front and Spanish on the back. One pack contains five posters. Or- ders are limited to 40 packs. The time be- tween ordering and receiving posters may exceed 10 business days. Email ncdhm@ ada.org with questions or special requests.


Postcards (4”x6”) bearing the posters’ art are also available at no cost and available in English and Spanish. One pack contains 25 postcards and orders are limited to 20 packs. Additional materials, includ- ing a planning guide, publicity-generating resources, a coloring page, word search, crossword puzzle, and toothbrushing cal- endar are available for download at ADA. org/ncdhm.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32