In this season of giving and reflection, we want to recognize our exceptional member dentists. These dentists are our partners throughout the year and provide our members access to the highest quality oral health care and treatment.
And in this year’s Consumer Assessment of HealthCare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®)1 Dental Plan survey, the results show that our members agree!
More than 20,000 Delta Dental adult patients responded to the survey during the past year. Key results include:
- Patients rate their experiences with Delta Dental dentists an average 9.5 out of 10
- Patients gave an average 9.4 out of 10 overall dental care rating
- 96% of patients said their dentist and dental staff treated them with courtesy and respect
- 88% of patients reported feeling comfortable during dental treatment
“The key to successful, lifelong oral care quality relies on patient’s having a “dental home,” where they can get trusted information directly from their oral healthcare provider,” says Dr. Kyle Dosch, Dental Director of Delta Dental of Washington. “We make it a priority to support and treat our member dentists like partners. They hold the key to educating and caring for our members, and guiding them towards a lifetime of good oral health.”
This positive patient sentiment is notable given the difficult headwinds that the dental industry faced this year. According to the American Dental Association2, dentist offices experienced a number of difficult economic realities including inflation, challenges in staff recruiting and scheduling barriers.
In the past year, Delta Dental of Washington has shown support for dental offices by investing in long-term solutions to address dental workforce shortages , supporting dental education in local colleges, universities and trade schools , and increasing customer service to dental practices.
“Our vision is that all people can enjoy good oral and overall health with no one left behind…and member dentists are on the front line in making that happen for Washington members.”, says Diane Oakes, Chief Mission Officer for Delta Dental of Washington. “As a non-profit company, we invest back in the community and the dental industry to help address workforce shortages and increase oral health care equity.”
As we look forward to a healthy New Year, we continue to look for ways to strengthen and support the ongoing partnership of our provider network dentists.
1“CAHPS” is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
2 Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry, Health Policy Institute, American Dental Association
