Benefits Orientation
Choosing a Dental Plan
Dental
Plan Options
Before you choose your dental plan, you need to understand:
- The types of plans that are available (two managed care plans and one preferred provider plan),
- Whether a particular plan is available in your county (view plan availability information)
- How much a plan will cost you,
- Whether your current dentist (if you have one) participates in the plan, or how to select a dentist that does.
Managed Care Plans
The managed care plans require that you use a dentist who participates in the plan. All dental care is managed through
your primary care dentist or network provider. You cannot
see a specialist unless you are referred by your primary care dentist. To enroll in a
managed care plan, you will need to select a participating
dentist and make sure that that dentist is accepting patients.
The managed care plans are:
Preferred Provider Organization
(PPO) Plan
The Uniform Dental PPO plan allows you to see any provider of
your choice. You will generally pay less if you see a provider who is part of the Uniform Dental Plan's provider network. A PPO allows you more freedom of choice than a managed care plan but
you may incur higher out-of-pocket expenses.
Dental Benefits
Comparison
To compare dental plans, see the Public Employees Benefits Board's Comparison & Exclusion
Chart. All plans have standardized benefits.
Some differences include:
- Out-of-pocket expense
- Choice of doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies
- Referral practices and guidelines
- County where plan is available
For details on specific benefits, contact the plans directly.
Premiums
Good news! There are no employee or
dependent premiums for any of the dental plans. The
UW pays your dental premium.
Find a Dentist
Before you enroll in a dental plan determine whether your dentist is in one of the managed care plans or in the Uniform Plan's preferred provider network. Either ask your dentist/dental
clinic or check the provider directories listed below:
- For DeltaCare, choose the WDS provider directory then select PEBB
Group 3100.
- For Uniform Dental Plan, choose the WDS provider directory then select Delta Preferred
Option.
- For Regence Blue Shield, choose the Willamette plan.
Confirm your dentist's or clinic's participation in the plan you wish to choose and record their provider or clinic code on your worksheet.
