National Black Caucus of State Legislators adopts 2017 Policy Resolution in support of DSOs

As part of its policy priorities for 2017, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) has resolved to support the nation’s leading dental support organizations (DSOs) in their mission to provide affordable, quality dental services to underserved populations across the United States. The policy resolution, “HHS-17-17: A Resolution to Stand in Support of Dental Support Organizations,” was ratified during the NBCSL’s Annual Legislative Conference, held Dec. 2-5, 2016. According to the NBCSL, DSOs play a key role in expanding access to dental care among underserved populations. Approximately 47% of the patients served by the nation’s largest DSO are African American, and DSOs serve 20% to 25% of the Medicaid patients in some states. DSOs also increase operational efficiency and lower dental care costs, allowing dental service providers to increase acceptance of Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) beneficiaries. The NBCSL also stated that DSOs provide significant cost-savings to state Medicaid programs, citing a health policy analysis completed by Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, which found that expanding the DSO model in select states could generate savings sufficient to provide dental care to an additional 1.9 million Medicaid patients. The NBCSL resolution encourages federal and state policymakers “to utilize the efficiencies and capabilities of DSOs to address oral health outcomes and drive new payment and evidence based treatment protocols.” Further, the NBCSL urges policymakers to resist anti-competitive policies that stifle the growth of the DSO industry and patients’ ability to access the benefits they provide. The NBCSL also encourages the representation of DSO-affiliated dentists on state dental licensure boards, “to offer their unique perspective and experience to state licensure policy.” “We thank the National Black Caucus of State Legislators for recognizing and supporting leaders in the DSO space who are helping dentists deliver high-quality, low-cost dental care to traditionally underserved patient populations,” said Tom Nance, CEO of Benevis. “We look forward to working with NBCSL in 2017 to educate state and federal policymakers about this innovative delivery model and its important role in solving the dental access crisis.”

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