{"id":8343,"date":"2025-05-09T13:46:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T17:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniteustailstg.wpengine.com\/?p=8343"},"modified":"2025-05-21T14:38:47","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T18:38:47","slug":"social-care-technology-dental-access-connecticut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniteus.com\/case-study\/dental-access-connecticut\/","title":{"rendered":"Pathways to Oral Health: How Technology Improves Dental Access and Member Engagement in Connecticut"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (CTDHP), serving more than one million Medicaid members, has significantly improved dental access through the implementation of the Unite Us closed-loop referral system. By leveraging real-time data and a high-touch service model, CTDHP increased dental service utilization among at-risk and underserved populations. This approach highlights the effectiveness of combining technology with personalized care to address barriers and improve oral health access for Medicaid beneficiaries.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (CTDHP), serving more than one million Medicaid members, has significantly improved dental access through the implementation of the Unite Us closed-loop referral system. By leveraging real-time data and a high-touch service model, CTDHP increased dental service utilization among at-risk and underserved populations. This approach highlights the effectiveness of combining technology…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8413,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"states":[],"topic":[116,89,88],"industry":[77,75],"series_name":[],"class_list":["post-8343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-case-study","topic-cross-sector-collaboration","topic-medicaid-innovation","topic-technology","industry-community","industry-payers"],"acf":{"layout":"report","gated_page":{"":null,"title":"","featured_image":null,"description":"","form_title":"Fill out the form to download the white paper.","code_editor":"","title_2":"","description_2":"","embeds":null,"display_cta_button":true,"button_text":"Download the White Paper"},"columns":null,"download_page":{"document":""},"reports_component":{"components":[{"acf_fc_layout":"buttons","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","action_buttons":[{"name":"Download the Report","style":"button-hollow","link_type":"external","page_link":null,"link":"https:\/\/uniteus.com\/document\/ctdhp-case-study\/","icon":"","is_blank":true,"background_color":"","text_color":"","background_color_hover":"","text_color_hover":""}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"key_takeaways","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","id":"","menu_label":"","header":"

Key Takeaways<\/h2>\r\n\"\"<\/strong>Accurate Member Information Enhances Member Connections and Efficiency: <\/b>Access to accurate and up-to-date member contact information within the Unite Us platform significantly enhances member outreach initiatives by enabling members to receive timely and right-sized navigation support.<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\"\"<\/strong>Staff Expertise Drives Stronger Referral Outcomes:<\/b> CTDHP demonstrates strong proficiency and effectiveness in processing referrals within the platform, with a high acceptance rate, quick response times, and successful resolution.<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n\"\"<\/strong>Platform Use Increases Dental Utilization:<\/b> In 2023, of the members contacted by CTDHP staff from a Unite Us referral, 25% utilized dental services within 120 days of contact, of which 16% were for preventive dental visits. This is 11 percentage points higher than the average utilization rate from other CTDHP engagement campaigns.<\/span>","takeaways":null,"text":"","tiles":null},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_layout_title":"Background","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","id":"","wysiwyg":"
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Background<\/h2>\r\nThe Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (CTDHP) is the contracted Dental Plan for Connecticut\u2019s HUSKY Health Program, serving more than one million Medicaid members in the state. CTDHP aims to ensure all members have access to oral health services by meeting their acute needs, removing obstacles to care, and increasing members\u2019 oral health literacy. This case study highlights the impact of this innovative approach on improving dental access for Medicaid members."},{"acf_fc_layout":"icon_and_highlight","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","id":"","icon":"","text":"

Each year, there are approximately 2.1 million emergency department (ED) visits<\/b> for preventable dental conditions, costing the U.S. healthcare system over $2 billion<\/b> annually.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Source: www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov\/reports\/statbriefs\/sb280-Dental-ED-Visits-2018.pdf<\/a>. <\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_layout_title":"Challenge","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","id":"","wysiwyg":"

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Challenge<\/h2>\r\nWhile the rate of dental service use among Medicaid adults in Connecticut is one of the highest among all states, due in part to the state\u2019s extensive Medicaid dental coverage policy, only 28% of continuously eligible adults and 61% of continuously eligible children utilized dental services in 2023.\r\n\r\nOne major challenge in improving access has been reaching and engaging members, as outdated contact information in state Medicaid eligibility files has often prevented them from connecting with members in a timely manner."},{"acf_fc_layout":"blockquote","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","id":"","text":"\"The CTDHP Oral Health Navigation and Member Services teams are critical in reducing the barriers between Medicaid members and necessary dental care. Barriers to oral health care are complex and include access, oral health literacy, dental fear and anxiety, and social drivers of health.\u201d\r\n\r\nKate Parker-Reilly<\/strong><\/span>, CTDHP Executive Director"},{"acf_fc_layout":"wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_layout_title":"Solution","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","id":"","wysiwyg":"
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Solution<\/h2>\r\nTo address these challenges, CTDHP implemented the <\/span>Unite Us closed-loop referral system<\/span><\/a> in 2022. Unite Us\u2019 platform enables proactive outreach to members and warm hand-offs to community-based organizations (CBOs) that can help address barriers to care, helping all CTDHP members secure a dental home where they can receive routine, preventive care. The platform also facilitates real-time access to accurate and up-to-date member contact information.<\/span>\r\n