California Approves DentaQuest Despite Problems in Texas and Other States

California has problems.  We all know about them.  Now, they’ve added DentaQuest as another one for their Medicaid (Medi-Cal) program to the apparent detriment of state dental providers, considering the company’s situation in Texas, Louisiana and other states.

This past week, the company sent out a press release that the California Department of Health Care Services is adding DentaQuest programs to serve Medicaid clients in Sacramento and Los Angeles counties starting July 2025. Sun Life/DentaQuest will then serve some 500,000 clients in the state.

The announcement is “well timed” as we just published a spate of articles about the deficiencies of DentaQuest in Texas and elsewhere, suggesting the company get the boot (contains a list of articles) as a DMO.  This company is seemingly harming dental providers, not to mention Medicaid-eligible children, here due to the limits announced by the company on their network and the threat of removing over 100 urban providers from their network.

Irony of promoting good provider relations

Considering these nasty developments, the comments of the Sunlife US Dental president are ironic. The release states, “We understand how to implement value-based care programs that providers want to participate in, and our dental home model is one of the most successful in the nation. Our plan will offer a fresh choice for Medi-Cal members, with programs that increase access to care, promote preventive treatment and improve overall health outcomes.”

It is with further irony that the press release ends with, “If you are a Medi-Cal dental provider in California, visit the website to learn how to join the DentaQuest network.”

How about, no.

Sun Life US Dental, not DentaQuest?

The company release has a few more surprises. DentaQuest’s foreign owner Sun Life, a huge Canadian insurer running Canada’s national dental insurance program, now wants top billing as Sun Life U.S. Dental instead of DentaQuest.  Also, the company has its own network of 75 dental practices across the country, which will undoubtedly expand.

About DentaQuest
Sun Life U.S. Dental, which includes DentaQuest, is dedicated to improving the oral health of all through purpose-driven, outcomes-based solutions. We make dental benefits better for everyone through Preventistry® – an inclusive approach centered on preventive, quality care, expanded access and solutions built on valued relationships across the health care ecosystem. We manage dental and vision benefits for approximately 36 million Americans. For 30 years, we have delivered cost-effective benefit plans and services for employer groups, individuals, health plans, and government-sponsored dental programs. We are the largest Medicaid and CHIP dental benefits administrator in the U.S., by membership. We also support direct patient care through an expanding network of approximately 75 dental practices in underserved communities across the United States. Learn more about Sun Life U.S. Dental at sunlife.com/dental and dentaquest.com.

 

 

 

3 Responses

  • This is the perfect dumpster fire to add to California’s collection of dumpster fire of bad decisions. If there was ever a sign we need to throw dentaquest out in Texas this is it! lol clowns love a circus!

  • That is unfortunate – Massachusetts just dropped DentaQuest. California has adopted what Massachusetts just dropped as not being good enough for the most vulnerable patients in MA. I guess California has lower standards than MA for it most vulnerable.

  • For DentaQuest to stay in business. They will continue their unfair and unethical business model. If a state sanctions or cancel their contract, they try to get other markets to ensure existence.

    That’s why they keep getting new contracts.

    What is surprising how educated and well experienced professionals in the particular state will continue to award them contracts.

    Either we have inexperienced people as decision makers or some other financial alternatives.

    Maybe the people in that state awarding them contracts need to be held accountable and questioned.

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