Delta Dental reports low preventive utilization, outlines outreach and network changes

Delta Dental presented its quarterly report to the San Francisco Health Service System, showing utilization, network and engagement metrics through June 30, 2021, and outlining steps to improve preventive care uptake.

Delta representative Sharon Staniclo reported that as of Q2 2021, 73% of active members and 69.3% of retirees had not received a cleaning yet in 2021; by contrast 26.9% of actives and 30.5% of retirees had at least one cleaning. She compared those figures to Delta's enterprise benchmark of 28.5% cleanings, noting retirees slightly exceeded the enterprise benchmark while actives trailed it by roughly 1.6 percentage points.

Staniclo described the SmileWay chronic-condition program and current participation numbers (729 actives enrolled with 509 utilizations; 852 retirees enrolled with 652 utilizations), and said outreach includes targeted electronic campaigns, an enhanced microsite, new member videos and a contact-center emphasis on promoting SmileWay. She also reviewed provider-network dynamics in Sonoma County: 19 dentists left the network for reasons including moves, ownership changes, retirements and reimbursement concerns; however, Delta reported a net addition of one contracted dentist for SFHSS members in that county and that most member impacts were limited (one departed provider was used by about 50 members).

Ending: Delta will provide quarterly dashboards going forward, continue targeted communications to raise preventive utilization and work with HSS staff on member transition materials and outreach to impacted members in Sonoma and elsewhere.