The Officer - Fall 2016 - 75

STARs INDUSTRY NEWS BY JEANNE KOUHESTANI, ASSOCIATE EDITOR DENTAL READINESS United Concordia's Active Duty Dental Program Helps Prepare Reserve and Guard for Early Activation eserve and National Guard members who are activated for more than 30 days in support of a military contingency operation are eligible to receive civilian dental care through Tricare's Active Duty Dental Program (ADDP) for remote care, even if they live close to a military dental treatment facility. A contingency operation is a military action requiring rapid deployment of military forces in support of national policy. It is designated as such by the secretary of defense or becomes one as a matter of law. Since being awarded the ADDP contract in 2009, United Concordia has administered the program in the United States and territories, adding bells and whistles not required under the contract that help members and providers alike. The company's proprietary software, developed for the ADDP, makes the online system simple and convenient for members to determine eligibility, obtain an appointment control number prior to the receipt of any civilian dental care, and schedule an appointment without going through a middleman. It enables providers to easily classify a patient's dental readiness, make referrals, obtain authorizations and submit claims. United Concordia has also trained retired military service members and a former dental hygienist who understands the military culture to serve as field representatives called dental benefits advisors (DBAs). These advisors put a human face on the program, making sure every eligible service member is taken care of. Each DBA covers one of seven regions in the country, spending about 50 percent of his or her time visiting Reserve and Guard installations and attending Yellow Ribbon events for early activators and units returning from deployment. The DBAs attended 198 such events in 2015 and continually send reminders about the program via email blasts to installations. Civilian dental providers in the 74,000-member ADDP network receive training via webinar by United Concordia so they'll know how to use the program. They even have their own dedicated phone line to call in to the ADDP. "I think one of the important things about this program is taking care of those Guard or Reserve members before a deployment to ensure they are orally healthy," said Sharon Duke, United Concordia's director of government affairs. "We want to make Reserve and National Guard members who are activated for more than 30 days in support of a military contingency operation are eligible to receive civilian dental care through Tricare's Active Duty Dental Program for remote care, even if they live close to a military dental treatment facility. sure they are eligible to deploy and will not have any dental issues when they are activated." Beyond the Reserve and Guard In addition to service members who are activated in support of a contingency operation, the ADDP covers full-time active duty service members who live and work more than 50 miles from a military dental treatment facility (DTF) and need remote care, or who are referred by a dentist at a DTF for any required dental care. DTF staff may also make referrals to the ADDP if they are experiencing staffing shortages, if the facility is closed, or for any other reason they feel is appropriate. THE OFFICER / FALL 2016 75

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