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.