From Lori Brockman, Communications Officer,(503) 655-8752
02-18-10Media and interested parties
Dentists, insurers, educators launch program to care for Oregon children
Oregon remains a state where far too many children never see a dentist. The effects can be devastating. Poor oral health can cripple kids developmentally and academically. The resulting social costs are as clear as they are enormous.
Oregon dentists fully understand the critical nature of oral health. Daily, they see not only how severely poor oral hygiene affects overall health but also how significantly it inhibits a child's ability to learn. That's why they have joined with ODS, Willamette Dental and Kaiser to launch an effort called The Children’s Program. It's a groundbreaking plan, funded by dentists contributing a portion of their fees when treating Oregon Educators Benefit Board members, to provide care for uninsured children ages six to 12 years throughout our state."This partnership addresses a critical need in our communities," said William Ten Pas, DMD, Senior Vice President of ODS Dental Services. "I am so honored to be a part of this program that we know will change lives."
Working with Oregon schools, pediatricians, hospital emergency rooms and county health departments to identify children in need of care, ODS, Willamette Dental and Kaiser will refer patients to participating dentists for no-fee treatment. There will be zero patient responsibility or out-of-pocket costs for services covered. Patient care is scheduled to begin in February.
"We are very pleased with this pioneering private/public partnership of Oregon dentists, insurers and educators," said Clackamas County Commissioner Ann Lininger. "They have crafted a solution that addresses a longstanding need in our community."To fund this program, one and one-half percent of claims payments to dental providers will be withheld for services provided to OEBB members. Dentists have also agreed to a reduced reimbursement. ODS will administer the program at no cost and feed referrals to Willamette Dental and Kaiser, thereby ensuring that 100 percent of the money raised will go directly to patient care and not to administrative costs.
Parents cannot enroll their children directly into the program. Rather, children in need of dental care must be referred either by a school representative, their county health department, a local pediatrician or hospital emergency room. The nurse or counselor will, in turn, submit a dental treatment referral form to The Children's Program administrator on your child's behalf. Qualified children will be enrolled in the program and then referred to a dentist in their area.
The plan covers basic services up to $500 to be used in a one year period. Covered services include but are not limited to preventive, diagnostic, relief of pain and basic restorative services. Children may be re-enrolled annually in the program if all eligibility requirements are met.
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ODS is a multifaceted organization that provides medical, pharmacy, dental, vision and professional liability insurance products, along with a variety of business services including benefits administration. ODS serves more than 1 million members. Founded in 1955, ODS is Oregon's leading dental plan and one of the state's leading medical plans. ODS is a founding member of the Delta Dental Plans Association, the nation's largest and most experienced dental benefits provider. ODS is headquartered in Portland and has offices in Medford, Ore., Milwaukie, Ore., Bend, Ore., and La Grande, Ore., as well as in Bothell, Wash., and Anchorage, Alaska. For more information, visit www.odscompanies.com.******
Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services department promotes and assists individuals, families and communities to be healthy, safe, and thrive. H3S provides a broad spectrum of services for low income and vulnerable residents and addresses public health issues for the entire county. To learn more, please visit our web site at http://www.clackamas.us/dhs