Benefits of Preferred Dentist Program (PDP)

• Increased Patient Base / Heightened Awareness of Your Practice:

  More than 20.5 million employees and their dependents in the U.S. are eligible for MetLife Dental Benefit Plans.³ Participation in the Preferred Dentist Program (PDP) allows you to increase the number of people who have access to your practice. As a participating PDP dentist, your name will be listed in both our online and printed dentist directories. These directories will identify you as a participating PDP dentist, and help eligible individuals conveniently find your office (the online directory also includes maps, driving distances, and step-by-step driving directions). Altogether, MetLife’s websites receive 1.5 million hits each month from people looking for a participating PDP dentist.

• Easier Office Administration:

  MetLife offers paperless claim submission via the Internet or phone, which saves you the time and expense of mailing paper claims.

  Participating PDP dentists are provided with multiple customer service channels to best meet your needs – by phone, fax, or online, we work the way you prefer.

  Obtain real-time patient eligibility, plan benefits information, claim status and history by clicking here or via our automated phone system. Use these electronic options to get the same information MetLife customer service representatives access, but at your convenience.

  Educate your patients with real-time benefit estimates. Discuss treatment options, determine payment arrangements, and schedule follow-up appointments – all while patients are still in your office! Easier administration reduces overhead expenses and increases office efficiencies.

• Faster Payments:

  MetLife pays PDP claims on a weekly basis, not bi-weekly like some other carriers, so you get paid faster.

  Participating PDP offices receive their payments as bulk claims reimbursements on a weekly basis, whereas non-participating offices are reimbursed every two weeks. Additionally, MetLife offers direct deposit to dentists. Offices enrolled in the direct deposit program avoid bulk payment cycles entirely – each processed claim has a unique deposit sent automatically. Our direct deposit option means you can go from claim processed to money in the bank in just five days! And all this can be done without needing to change your internal account reconciliation process.

• Communications:

  Participating dentists receive PDP Update, an exclusive PDP newsletter. The PDP Update contains information on how to get the most out of being a PDP Employee, as well as articles on improving office administration and industry news.

  Participating PDP dentists also receive access to a wide variety of patient education tools, in both English and Spanish, such as risk assessment guides for caries and periodontal disease. These tools are developed by members of the MetLife Dental Advisory Council – a committee of practicing dentists and dental academicians that advises MetLife on quality and claims-related issues.

• Continuing Education:

  PDP dentists and their staff members can earn continuing education credits online AT NO COST click here for more information. All credits are American Dental Association/CERP and Academy of General Dentistry certified.

• New Enhancements for 2006 to the MetLife PDP:

  As of January 1, 2006, PDP dentists are able to charge for each periodic oral exam performed. As MetLife continues to evolve its dental benefit plans to risk-based designs, we are aligning our PDP program to support these plans. Allowing PDP dentists to charge for more than one periodic exam per annum is just another way we’re enhancing our commitment to the promotion of good oral health.

³Total lives MetLife data as of February 2007