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Delta Dental of Illinois Introduces 'Smile Smart For Your Health'
Enhanced Benefits Program Linking Oral Health and Overall Health
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LISLE, Ill., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Dental of Illinois is offeringa new benefits program to its clients and prospective clients. The program,"Smile Smart for Your Health," integrates oral health and overall health tooffer specific benefits for persons who have specific health conditions,including diabetes, pregnancy, and a history of periodontal disease orsurgery.
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"Smile Smart for Your Health" is based on the emerging science ofevidence-based dentistry -- a set of principles and methods intended toensure, to the greatest extent possible, that clinical decisions, guidelinesand other types of policies are based on, and consistent with, good evidenceof effectiveness and benefit. As understanding of the connection between oralhealth and overall health grows, evidence-based dentistry solutions, such as"Smile Smart for Your Health," bridge the gap between dentistry and medicaltreatment.
"After a comprehensive review of the extensive scientific researchavailable, we are offering 'Smile Smart for Your Health' to help improve theoral health of our enrollees, and hopefully, their overall health too," saidRobert E. Dennison, D.M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of DeltaDental of Illinois. "And 'Smile Smart for Your Health' can help employers andgroups lower their overall costs by directing preventive care where it'sneeded most -- in addition to promoting medical cost savings." Dennisionadds, "Delta Dental of Illinois will continue to explore other evidence-baseddentistry offerings and examine emerging research and will likely addcomponents to 'Smile Smart for Your Health' as research supports."
"Smile Smart for Your Health" underscores our commitment to improving theoral health of the communities we serve. Evidence-based dentistry solutionsare truly the next stage in quality patient care -- using the latestscientific evidence to target the relationship between oral disease and othermedical conditions and improve medical outcomes for at-risk patients," saidDr. Katina Morelli, DDS, Dental Director for Delta Dental of Illinois.
Delta Dental of Illinois added "Smile Smart for Your Health" to themajority of its existing fully insured clients with few exceptions and isoffering it as an option to its self-insured clients. Beginning September 1,2007, it is automatically included in the dental benefit plans it offers allprospective clients.
Eligibility & Enrollment
Enrollees and their dentists can self-report a specific medical condition.Enrollees and dentists can check eligibility and if eligible, enroll in the"Smile Smart for Your Health" Enhanced Benefits Program through the DeltaDental of Illinois Web site -- http://www.deltadentalil.com. Enrollees usethe Subscriber Connection and dentists use the Dentist Connection (bothrequire registration). More information about "Smile Smart for Your Health"is available on Delta Dental of Illinois' Web site.
(*) OralCDx brush biopsy is a standard coverage under Delta Dental of
Illinois' oral surgery plans.
Delta Dental of Illinois (DDIL) is a not-for-profit dental service