DentaQuest Chosen to Administer Dental Benefits for California’s Medicaid DMC Program

DentaQuest announced on Wednesday it has been awarded dental managed care (DMC) contracts by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), through its subsidiary, California Dental Network, in a move that means Medi-Cal beneficiaries in Sacramento and Los Angeles counties will have the choice of 3 dental managed care plans beginning July 2025.

As part of Sun Life U.S., DentaQuest, with these contracts combined with new Medicare Advantage and existing employer-sponsored dental insurance programs in California, will raise the number of Californians served by Sun Life U.S. Dental and its family of companies to nearly half a million lives, according to a press release. Sun Life U.S. is the nation’s largest administrator of dental benefits for Medicaid by membership.

Currently, there are about 1 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries across the 2 counties that are enrolled in DMC plans. DentaQuest will now serve a portion of this membership directly through its own plan and as the third-party administrator for another DMC plan in the program.

Click here to read about how members of DentaQuest are able to access teledentistry.com, a telehealth platform specifically designed for dental patients, as part of a partnership between the 2 groups.

The DMC awardees are expected to deliver innovative programs that directly address health equity and the critical need for better access to care, according to DentaQuest.

“California is one of the most culturally diverse states in our nation, so it requires public health plans that can address a range of needs and perceptions about health,” David Healy, president, Dental, Sun Life U.S., says in a press release. “DentaQuest brings decades of experience serving Medicaid members in 5 of the nation’s top 10 most culturally diverse 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.”

Earlier this year, the company donated $80,000 to grassroots organizations across California working to increase oral health education and access, and reduce the impact of social determinants of health. This support builds on prior investments to address the health workforce shortage, such as the Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine safety net externship. Increasing access to care and helping future providers get the education they need in California and beyond, are part of DentaQuest’s long-standing commitment to improving the oral health of all.

Medi-Cal dental providers in California can visit the website to learn how to join the DentaQuest network.

Sun Life U.S. Dental—which includes DentaQuest—strives to improve the oral health of all through purpose-driven, outcomes-based solutions. The company makes 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. Sun Life U.S. manages dental and vision benefits for approximately 36 million Americans.