Two Delta Dental Companies Offer COVID-19 Assistance to Dentists

Within the past week, two Delta Dental member companies launched advance reimbursement programs to provide COVID-19 assistance to dentists and help mitigate their short-term cash flow burdens.

Delta Dental of Iowa has launched the Advance Claims Payment Program, which will provide dentists with 50% of their average weekly claim payments in advance for four weeks.

Delta Dental of Washington is offering similar aid, the Independent Dental Practice Reimbursement Advance Program. The program will advance 25% of average weekly payments of clinical reimbursements, with cumulative advances to any one tax identification number not exceeding $25,000. The receiving practice then must repay the cumulative advance, without any interest, in 20 equal weekly payments to Delta Dental of Washington beginning July 1, 2020.

Delta Dental of Washington has also established the Independent Dental Practice Assistance Fund to provide up to $10 million in grants to Delta Dental of Washington member dental practices. Individual grants, ranging up to $15,000 per tax identification number, will not need to be repaid.

The ADA is encouraging other insurance companies to follow suit.

“We urge third-party payers to consider grant programs, rather than advance payment programs, to support dental practices during these critical times,” said Dr. Randall Markarian, ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs chair.