Biomaterial Database

Delta Dental Plan of Massachusetts' perspective on financing. 1997

R E Hunter

Delta Dental of Massachusetts, Medford 02155-9104, USA.

The continually increasing costs of dental treatment have stimulated searches for alternative means of financing care. Cost has also raised questions about the definition of quality in oral health. Payers are beginning to evaluate alternatives based on prevention and health outcomes rather than volume of treatment delivered. Not-for-profit organizations, such as the Deltas, have a proactive role to play in this search for alternatives. In the end, it is the combination of market forces which will shape both how dentistry is financed and how it is defined.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007347	Insurance, Dental	Insurance providing coverage for dental care.	Prepaid Dental Care,Care, Prepaid Dental,Dental Care Plan,Dental Insurance,Plan, Dental Care,Plans, Dental Care,Dental Care Plans,Dental Care, Prepaid
D008389	Marketing of Health Services	Application of marketing principles and techniques to maximize the use of health care resources.	Health Services Marketing,Marketing Services, Health,Marketing, Health Services,Services, Health Marketing,Health Marketing Service,Health Marketing Services,Marketing Service, Health
D008404	Massachusetts	State bounded on the north by New Hampshire and Vermont, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Connecticut and Rhode Island, and on the west by New York.
D009909	Oral Health	The optimal state of the mouth and normal functioning of the organs of the mouth without evidence of disease.	Health, Oral
D009939	Organizations, Nonprofit	Organizations which are not operated for a profit and may be supported by endowments or private contributions.	Nonprofit Organizations,Non-Profit Organizations,Organizations, Non-Profit,Non Profit Organizations,Non-Profit Organization,Nonprofit Organization,Organization, Non-Profit,Organization, Nonprofit,Organizations, Non Profit
D011313	Preventive Dentistry	The branch of dentistry concerned with the prevention of disease and the maintenance and promotion of oral health.	Dentistries, Preventive,Dentistry, Preventive,Preventive Dentistries
D011787	Quality of Health Care	The levels of excellence which characterize the health service or health care provided based on accepted standards of quality.	Pharmacy Audit,Quality of Care,Quality of Healthcare,Audit, Pharmacy,Care Quality,Health Care Quality,Healthcare Quality,Pharmacy Audits
D003365	Costs and Cost Analysis	Absolute, comparative, or differential costs pertaining to services, institutions, resources, etc., or the analysis and study of these costs.	Affordability,Analysis, Cost,Cost,Cost Analysis,Cost Comparison,Cost Measures,Cost-Minimization Analysis,Costs and Cost Analyses,Costs, Cost Analysis,Pricing,Affordabilities,Analyses, Cost,Analyses, Cost-Minimization,Analysis, Cost-Minimization,Comparison, Cost,Comparisons, Cost,Cost Analyses,Cost Comparisons,Cost Measure,Cost Minimization Analysis,Cost, Cost Analysis,Cost-Minimization Analyses,Costs,Measure, Cost,Measures, Cost
D003729	Dental Care	The total of dental diagnostic, preventive, and restorative services provided to meet the needs of a patient (from Illustrated Dictionary of Dentistry, 1982).	Care, Dental
D005376	Financial Management	The obtaining and management of funds for institutional needs and responsibility for fiscal affairs.	Endowments,Financial Activities,Funds,Activities, Financial,Activity, Financial,Endowment,Financial Activity,Fund,Management, Financial