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 …