Copy of Dentaqual FAQs (3)

Looking for the right dentist? The DentaQual® rating tool can help.

Let’s say you’re new in town or your current dentist is retiring — or maybe you want to switch to an in-network dentist for savings and convenience. How do you find a new dentist? And how do you know they are right for you? DentaQual® is an objective tool to help you make the best decision!

Now, you will find DentaQual® ratings in the Delta Dental dentist directory.

 

What is DentaQual®?

DentaQual® is a rating system to score all North Carolina dentists who are participating providers in the Delta Dental of North Carolina networks. It assigns scores on a 5-star scale based on submitted claims data. DentaQual® compares each provider’s score to the average score of their peers in the same specialty and geography to generate an overall quality rating. The score is updated monthly. 

 

What Do the DentaQual® Scores Mean?

DentaQual® scores are based on 5 different measures:

  1. Treatment outcomes. Measures a dentist’s treatment success rate, including the likelihood of repeat procedures and post-treatment problems.
  2. Commitment to best practices. Evaluates how well a dentist follows established dental standards and treatment methods, including the sequence of prescribed care.
  3. Cost-effectiveness. Compares the types and number of prescribed treatments as well as the average cost per patient for submitted dental fees and treatments.
  4. Patient retention. Evaluates the degree of patient retention and loyalty as well as active sanctions, if any.
  5. Treatment recommendations. Compares how a dentist recommends treatments in relation to other dentists in their ZIP Code and specialty.

 

How Do I Find a DentaQual® Rating?

To check the DentaQual® ratings of a particular dentist starting on March 1, 2023, this is what you do:

  1. Visit the Delta Dental Find a Dentist Tool.
  2. You can skip the specialty and network drop-down boxes for now.
  3. Type in the dentist’s last name.
  4. Select “yes” for current location or “no” and type in your ZIP code.
  5. Click “Find a dentist.”

The next screen will show you the

  • dentist’s full name,
  • name, address, and phone number of the dental practice, with hyperlinks to a map and directions,
  • their plan network participation,
  • new patient acceptance status and
  • their DentaQual® star rating. Click on it for a detailed breakdown of the dentist’s score.

 

“No Dentist Found Within the Search Criteria?”

If your search yields this response, “No dentist found within the search criteria,” try these steps:

  • Double-check the spelling of the dentist’s name.
  • Correct the location information if necessary.
  • Select a different dental plan network from the drop-down box. Not all dentists participate in all Delta Dental networks, so you may have to try multiple networks to find a specific dentist.
  • Search again.

If none of these steps work, this particular dentist may not be part of the Delta Dental of North Carolina networks. In which case, they won’t have a DentaQual® score and will be considered an out-of-network provider.

 

How do I contact P&R Dental Strategies?

P&R Dental Strategies can be reached Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET. Please send an email to DentaQual@pandrdental.com or call (609) 783-9380. P&R Dental Strategies’ Customer Service Specialists will return all messages within 24 hours during normal business hours.

We hope you will find DentaQual® to be a useful tool that helps you feel confident about choosing a dentist!