The DDSD Medicaid dental care coordinator team
Our Medicaid dental care coordination staff provide services to support access to and utilization of care. Services include education, advocacy, and assistance to dental offices, patients, medical providers, community agencies, parents, caregivers, and other stakeholders.
For example, care coordinators:
Provide information to dental offices and Medicaid recipients about dental benefits provided by SD Medicaid.
Support dental offices' care for Medicaid patients, especially when a patient may be at risk of losing their dental home because of missed appointments or other reasons.
Connect Medicaid patients with resources to overcome barriers to care, such as transportation or other needs.
The care coordinators are located in Sioux Falls (605-494-2488 and 605-494-2489) and Rapid City (605-494-2484).
They can assist a provider or patient in any location regardless of the location of the care coordinator.
Promoting early childhood dental care
Care coordinators work to contact the parents of children covered by SD Medicaid who are turning 1 year old to:
The effort is part of Delta Dental’s Dentist by 1 program.
Each month the calls reveal that more than 70% of families are unaware of their dental benefits or when they should take their child to their first dental visit.
Orthodontic care education
Care coordinators provide education to the family of pediatric Medicaid patients before receiving orthodontic treatment. These family discussions set expectations for patient responsibilities and identify potential barriers to treatment.
These services are part of the Medicaid orthodontic treatment process.