DELTA DENTAL PLAN OF NEW JERSEY LAUNCHES WEB ENHANCEMENTS

PARSIPPANY, NJ (January 2002) – Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey (Delta Dental) has launched its newly-designed Web site, www.deltadentalnj.com, which includes features and enhancements benefiting the employees, customers, and dental professionals who do business with the company. New Jersey and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier invested months of research, testing, and development into the improvements. In addition to an overall redesign, the site also now includes dynamic, self service features, like "Benefits Connection" and "Online Eligibility," as well as a guestbook, and a free online newsletter for subscribers to make accessing information easier than ever before.

"User feedback was critical in the development of Delta Dental's Web enhancements," said Walter VanBrunt, President and CEO. "We consulted with benefits administrators and others who regularly do business with us to learn which features they would most like to see incorporated on our Web site. They have told us that the new features are easy to use and navigate, save time, and increase accuracy."

Benefits Connection
Benefits Connection, online access to benefit and eligibility information, makes it possible for subscribers and their dentists to obtain instant, detailed information about their dental benefits, including the services covered, the percentage of service covered by Delta Dental, whether there are deductibles or waiting periods, and much more.

In the past, those in need of Customer Service were limited to speaking with a representative by phone during normal business hours or using the automated voice response system. Benefits Connection makes access to information available to the patients and dentists authorized to view it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This area of the site automatically verifies and authenticates the identity of users to protect patient privacy.

Online Eligibility
With Online Eligibility, benefits managers can make all of their eligibility changes online, in one system. Online Eligibility can be used to enroll and terminate subscribers; make changes, transfers and reinstatements; view subscriber profiles online; and view, print and save submissions logs. Eligibility changes, which are easily managed directly from the benefits manager's desktop, often go into effect in less than 24 hours. The system also simplifies record keeping by allowing benefits managers to easily view their submissions and profiles, and print and/or save files.

In the past, eligibility changes were sent to Delta Dental in a variety of ways, including faxes, e-mails, phone calls, and letters. Often, handwritten changes required follow-up phone calls to confirm information, which delayed the modifications being made. Online eligibility enrollment eliminates this step so that changes can be made in real time. The online system, accessible to benefits administrators through a password-protected, secure area of Delta Dental's Web site, even prompts users if they forget to include any necessary information to ensure accuracy.

Guestbook
Visitors to Delta Dental's Web site who sign the Guestbook will receive in their e-mail inbox information on specific topics of interest to them, such as benefits and services for dentists, subscribers, benefit administrators or brokers, electronic claims, and tips on oral hygiene.

Subscriber News
Delta Dental's Web site now features a new monthly e-mail publication for subscribers to learn how they can make the most of their Delta Dental benefits. Among the topics covered in Subscriber News are how patients can find a dentist in their area, how they can get a detailed explanation of benefits, and more. The publication also features the latest news and breakthroughs in the areas of dental health and wellness.

Subscriber News is a free publication for all members of Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey. Those wishing to subscribe should do so at www.deltadentalnj.com and click on Subscribers.

Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey, Inc., is New Jersey’s and Connecticut's leading dental benefits carrier, providing coverage to more than one million people through contracts with employers in New Jersey and Connecticut. The Delta Dental Plan system is a national network of independently operated, not-for-profit dental service corporations specializing in providing dental benefits programs for employee groups throughout the country. For more information visit us on the Web at www.deltadentalnj.com.