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Articles
New Oral Cancer Early Detection Tool
Now Offered as Delta Dental Benefit
Subscribers Give DeltaCare Dental HMO High
Ratings in Survey
PANDA Program Helps Dentists, Others Fight Child
Abuse
Claims, Customer Service Performance Remain
High in 2004
UMDNJ Establishes Dental Education Center with
$2 Million Award from Delta Dental
Customer Service Department Earns Statewide Honors
Delta Dental Adopts Tsunami-Stricken Town Through Employee's Personal Contact
Just Two Months Until Golf Outing
Captain Supertooth Visited 38 Schools During National Children's Dental Health
Month
More Connecticut Dentists Than Ever Participate with Delta Dental - Thanks to
Kim Alberico
New Oral Cancer Early Detection
Tool Now Offered as Delta Dental Benefit
Delta Dental of New Jersey is pleased to announce
a new benefit that could have lifesaving consequences
for subscribers and their families.
The brush biopsy is a newly developed procedure that
enables dentists to more easily test patients with
suspicious mouth sores, which can be an early sign
of oral cancer or pre-cancer. Oral cancer is a devastating
disease. Only about half of those diagnosed with
advanced oral cancer survive more than five years.
Early detection, however, significantly improves
a patient's outlook for long-term survival.
Brush biopsy provides an accurate means of early
detection. It is a simple procedure that can be done
during the course of a regular exam, and involves
little or no patient discomfort.
In 10% of patients, a dentist may notice a red or
white spot in the patient's mouth during a routine
exam. Usually, these spots are harmless, but they
can be warning signs of oral cancer. Until now, there
was no way for dentists to tell if a spot was likely
to turn into cancer. The only sure diagnosis was
to refer a patient with a suspicious mouth sore to
an oral surgeon for a scalpel biopsy.
With the brush biopsy, however, the dentist uses
a small brush to collect suspicious tissue and send
it to a laboratory for testing. Delta Dental of New
Jersey covers the brush biopsy procedure itself upon
confirmation of the laboratory analysis of the specimen.
In most cases, the patient's medical plan reimburses
for laboratory analysis.
The new technology makes it easier for dental professionals
to diagnose oral cancer and pre-cancerous cells.
Although the procedure is only a few years old, it
proved so successful that brush biopsy is now being
taught as standard practice in many dental schools
in the United States. The American Dental Association
gave brush biopsy its Seal of Acceptance.
"Oral cancer is a devastating disease," says Dr. Scott Navarro, dental director,
Delta Dental of New Jersey. "It can destroy your ability to communicate, obtain
nourishment and your appearance, and ultimately may take your life. In spite
of advances in cancer treatment, the survival rate of oral cancer has not risen
significantly in the last 40 years. Early detection is the key to improving
not only the survival rate but also the quality of life for those victims of
oral cancer. Delta Dental of New Jersey is pleased to do its part in not only
providing benefits for this early detection procedure but also in educating
the public and profession regarding this valuable new tool in the fight against
oral cancer."
Delta Dental will continue to cover traditional scalpel
biopsies for oral cancer.
Oral Cancer Facts
- 8,000 people in the U.S. each year die from oral
cancer.
- 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed
each year.
- Oral cancer kills as many Americans yearly as
melanoma, and almost twice as many Americans as
cervical cancer.
- The five-year survival rate for those with advanced
forms of oral cancer is just 57%; it has not improved
in the last 40 years.
- When detected early, oral cancer survival rates
increase dramatically (to 81% or more).
- The average cost of treating an advanced case
of oral cancer is $200,000. Treatment costs for
cancers detected earlier, especially in pre-cancerous
stages, are significantly less.
Who Is At Risk for Oral Cancer?
Oral cancer can strike anyone. At particular risk
are:
- Smokers;
- African Americans;
- Users of smokeless tobacco;
- Those who excessively consume alcohol.
However, 25% of those diagnosed have no risk factors
at all!
- The incidence of the disease is on the rise among
women under 40 and nonsmokers.
More information about oral cancer can be found
at www.deltadentalnj.com; click on "Employers," then
on the "Brush Biopsy" link.
Subscribers Give DeltaCare
Dental HMO High Ratings in Survey
A recent survey of Flagship Dental Plan's DeltaCare
subscribers found that nearly 9 out of 10 are satisfied
overall with their dental benefits program.
Brownstone Information Resources of Morristown, New
Jersey, conducted the survey for Flagship Dental
Plans. Flagship Dental Plans is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Delta Dental of New Jersey, and underwrites and
administers the DeltaCare product, a managed dental
care program.
DeltaCare subscribers reported satisfaction in all
categories, including the information provided by
DeltaCare (94%), plan coverage (87%), access to participating
dentists (84%), quality of care (89%), and the Customer
Service Department (90%). One subscriber surveyed
said, "I have dealt with many customer service reps
over the years from many different companies and
most of the reps never followed through to fix the
problem. Your reps are great!"
Subscribers are also satisfied with the size of the
DeltaCare network. Seven in 10 subscribers voiced
satisfaction with the number of dentists from which
to choose, up from 58% in 2002. The dental network
includes 338 primary care physicians and 295 dental
specialists.
Additionally, 95% of subscribers said their oral
health was the same or better than in the previous
year.
A random sample of 222 DeltaCare subscribers responded
to the survey, which was conducted in the fall 2004.
PANDA Program Helps Dentists,
Others Fight Child Abuse
Each year 40,000 cases of abuse and neglect are
reported to the New Jersey Division of Youth and
Family Services. Every 11 minutes a child is reported
abused or neglected in the United States. More than
three children die each day from abuse or neglect.
Would you be able to recognize an abused child?
The signs of abuse aren't always obvious. That's
why the Delta Dental Foundation offers its PANDA
(Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness)
educational program to those who are in regular contact
with children.
PANDA was originally created for dentists, who are
well positioned to detect child abuse. Two out of
every three injuries occur to the head, face, and
neck areas, which are readily visible during a dental
exam.
In recent years, the PANDA program expanded to include
medical professionals, teachers, school nurses, youth
group leaders, and other community group leaders
who can assist in the fight to combat devastating
patterns of abusive behavior.
PANDA presentations provide detailed information
on physical and behavioral indicators of child abuse
and neglect. They also teach how to report, whom
to contact, and how to deal with the sensitive issues
involved in filing a report of suspected abuse.
The PANDA presentation is a one- to three-hour slide
program and workshop conducted by trained professionals.
The PANDA Coalition has members who are willing to
present the program free of charge to dental or other
interested groups with 10 or more members. For more
information or to schedule a presentation in New
Jersey, please call Delta Dental at (973) 944-4555.
In Connecticut call the Connecticut State Dental
Association at (203) 278-5550.
Sidebar: Delta Dental Supports Blue Ribbon Campaign
Against Child Abuse
Delta Dental is an annual sponsor of the Prevent
Child Abuse-New Jersey (PCA-NJ) Blue Ribbon Campaign,
which takes place each April during National Child
Abuse Prevention Month.
PCA-NJ, with the help of hundreds of volunteers,
distributes more than 250,000 blue ribbons throughout
New Jersey. The ribbons remind people of the tragedy
of child abuse and what they can do to help prevent
it.
For more information on PCA-NJ or to learn about
becoming a volunteer for the Blue Ribbon Campaign,
please call (732) 246-8060 or visit PCA-NJ's Web
site at www.preventchildabusenj.org.
For information about other programs to prevent child
abuse, visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services' National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and
Neglect Information at http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/.
Claims, Customer Service Performance
Remain High in 2004
Delta Dental continued to maintain excellent service
levels in 2004, according to the company's 2004 Operations
and Customer Service Reports. Here is a snapshot
of some of our 2004 statistics:
Total number of claims
2.89 million
Number of electronic claims
1.33 million (46.2% of all claims)
Number of claims filed online through Benefits Connection
35,600 (average 3,000 per month)
Average claims turnaround time
7.4 business days
99.9% of claims processed within 30 days
Accuracy rates
Key accuracy measures (clerical accuracy, payment
accuracy and dollar accuracy): 99% or higher
Call Center statistics
Average speed of answer: 30 seconds
Calls answered within 20 seconds: 67%
Abandon rate: 1.3%
Correspondence
Responses sent within 15 days: 98%
UMDNJ Establishes Dental Education
Center with $2 Million Award from Delta Dental
Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., has awarded $2
million to the University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey (UMDNJ) to establish the Delta Dental
Educational Conference Center in a new Oral Health
Pavilion at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School.
The award will be used to construct three state-of-the-art
lecture halls that can also be combined into one
conference center with a capacity of more than 400.
The Delta Dental Educational Conference Center will
include three conference rooms, a school lounge and
a gallery that serves as a site for events. These
areas of the conference center will comprise nearly
20,000 square feet within the Oral Health Pavilion,
a three-story, 78,000-square-foot facility.
The conference center development is part of a $45
million capital campaign for construction of the
new Oral Health Pavilion and the renovation of the
existing dental school.
Dr. Gerald Sydell, chairman of the board of Delta
Dental of New Jersey, said, "We are proud to have
the opportunity to positively impact dental education
and patient care at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School.
This school is poised to be a leader in dental education
nationally. We at Delta Dental of New Jersey believe
that the funding will benefit the public in several
important respects, including advancing dental education
and providing care to the underserved in this state.
The educational conference center will be an integral
part of the growth and development of this fine institution."
Walter J. VanBrunt, president and chief executive
officer of Delta Dental of New Jersey, said, "Delta
Dental is proud to support the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental
School capital campaign in a manner that will positively
impact the educational setting, foster their learning
environment, and help the university fulfill its
mission to the community."
Dr. Cecile Feldman, dean of the UMDNJ-New Jersey
Dental School, said, "Our capital campaign and the
development of the Delta Dental Educational Conference
Center allow us to expand our reach and focus on
our mission of educating students, conducting research
and providing high-quality oral health care to our
patients. This conference center will create an educational
setting that gives our students an opportunity to
hone their professional skills in a modern learning
environment."
Each lecture hall has executive-style seating and
state-of-the-art audio, video and computer equipment.
Individual learning stations in each lecture hall
will have Internet access for laptop computers. The
Delta Dental Educational Conference Center will be
housed in the Oral Health Pavilion, which is a new
building adjacent to the dental school. The Oral
Health Pavilion includes pre-doctoral clinics for
students, patient waiting areas, administrative offices
and a 3,000-square-foot school lounge.
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
(UMDNJ) comprises New Jersey's only three medical
schools, the state's only dental school, the school
of health-related professions, the school of nursing,
the school of public health and the school of biomedical
sciences on campuses in Newark, Piscataway/New Brunswick,
Stratford, Camden and Scotch Plains. UMDNJ also operates
University Behavioral HealthCare in Newark and Piscataway.
It is affiliated with more than 200 healthcare and
educational institutions throughout the state.
The Foundation of UMDNJ, a not-for-profit corporation
governed by a volunteer board of trustees, accepts
and administers private sector support for educational,
research, patient care and community-service programs
at the University.
Customer Service Department
Earns Statewide Honors
The Garden State Chapter of the International Customer
Service Association (GSICSA) named Delta Dental its
first "Internal Customer Service Operation of the
Year."
The new award recognizes in-house call centers that
show devotion to quality and commitment to service.
Bill Gessert, GSICSA president, presented the award
to Lori Acker, Delta Dental's assistant vice president,
Customer Service, at the December 2 ceremony.
The name of the winning company had been shrouded
in secrecy until the announcement. Acker never suspected
that Delta Dental would be the winner. "I was so
very proud of everyone and excited," said Acker. "It
is a great honor." She and 24 Delta Dental Customer
Service agents attending the event collected the
award on behalf of all Delta Dental call center associates
in Customer Service, Premium Billing and Flagship.
Also nominated were call centers from Phillips Lighting
and Aventis. GSICSA board members selected the nominees
and the winner.
The GSICSA is the New Jersey chapter of the 2,000-member
International Customer Service Association. The Garden
State chapter has approximately 100 members who network
throughout the year to discuss topics such as technology,
hiring, and customer retention. For more information
about the International Customer Service Association,
visit its Web site at www.icsa.com;
information about the Garden State chapter is available
at www.gsicsa.com.
Delta Dental Adopts Tsunami-Stricken
Town Through Employee's Personal Contact
Like many corporations, Delta Dental held a drive
in which employees collected food, clothing and other
goods for victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia.
The company sent donations to the town of Kandy,
Sri Lanka.
The donation had a personal twist. Kimberly Elmore,
administrative assistant in Delta Dental's Corporate
Communications Department, traveled to Sri Lanka
last August with her college roommate, Jasmin Saheed
of Sparta, and Saheed's father Ahmed Kazim Saheed,
a Sri Lanka native.
Saheed's extended family in Sri Lanka did not lose
any of their personal possessions. However, Saheed's
nephew works in Colombo, one of the affected areas,
and agreed to distribute the employee donations to
those who needed the most help. Through Elmore, Delta
Dental collected 100 boxes of goods, which will provide
support directly to Kandy.
Delta Dental of New Jersey employees also made donations
to the American Red Cross. The company matched all
employee cash donations collected through Delta Dental.
The donation totaled $4,732.
Just Two Months Until Golf
Outing
The 15th Annual Delta Dental Golf Classic takes place
June 22 at the Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Bedminster,
New Jersey. The annual event benefits Special Olympics
New Jersey (SONJ). SONJ is a non-profit organization
that provides athletic training and competition for
children and adults with developmental disabilities.
Registration and sponsorship materials are available.
For more information, please call Jennifer Appaluccio
at (973) 285-4059.
Captain Supertooth Visited
38 Schools During National Children's Dental
Health Month
In keeping with our mission to promote oral health
to the greatest number of people, Delta Dental sponsored
several oral health activities throughout New Jersey
and Connecticut during February, National Children's
Dental Health Month.
Delta Dental's own Captain Supertooth, the "caped
superhero of dental hygiene," visited 38 schools
throughout January and February to promote the importance
of early preventive dental care. Sponsored by Delta
Dental, the Captain Supertooth program has instructed
nearly 41,000 schoolchildren about proper dental
care since it began in 1990.
In addition, our Foundation and the UMDNJ-Dental
School jointly sponsored a one-day Children's Dental
Health Awareness Day at Liberty Science Center in
Jersey City, New Jersey, on February 27. The program
drew more than 3,000 children and their families,
who participated in a variety of fun, educational
activities designed to encourage improved oral hygiene,
preventive dental care, and good nutrition. Volunteers
from Delta Dental, University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey, and the Hudson County Dental Society
contributed their time and dental knowledge to this
program.
More Connecticut Dentists
Than Ever Participate with Delta Dental - Thanks
to Kim Alberico
Kim Alberico, dental network coordinator for Connecticut,
recently received the Silver Premier Award from the
Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA). She received
the award for increasing the percentage of Connecticut
dentists who participate with Delta Dental.
Alberico joined Delta Dental in March 2002. One
of her responsibilities is recruiting dentists into
the Delta Dental networks.
Dental network size is an important factor of subscriber
satisfaction. Using participating dentists helps
subscribers reduce out-of-pocket expenses. Thanks
to Kim Alberico and our other dental network coordinators,
subscribers find it easy to find a participating
dentist near their home or work.
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