Health care costs, including those for dental care, continue to rise, resulting in higher premiums for the members we serve. As a health insurer, we are responsible for providing our members with access to the care they need at the most affordable prices possible.
To that end, for 2026, we have shifted management of our Medicare Advantage dental benefits to a company called Dental Benefit Providers, Inc. (DBP). This change also includes BlueAdvantage PPO and BlueCare Plus D-SNP plans.
We made this decision carefully, and it allows us to continue offering the benefits members care about at the price points they need.
Working with DBP helps us deliver more value to our Medicare Advantage members by keeping our dental plan affordable and enabling the care delivery they count on each day.
Receiving care
The switch to DBP doesn’t change how our members use their benefits. You still have a dental allowance for your covered preventive and comprehensive dental care from in-network providers.
Prior authorizations are not required for any dental services, but providers may choose to submit a voluntary pre-treatment estimate if they want to obtain a medical necessity assessment before performing services.
You should still use your BlueCross member ID card when you get dental care.
Members who started multi-step procedures, such crowns, in December can finish these with their dentist in January, and the care will be treated as in network.
Access to providers
With this change, we’ve maintained broad network access to dental providers for our members.
More than 65% of the dentists in our Medicare Advantage network are already in the DBP network, and DBP is recruiting the remaining dentists so they can continue serving our members.
Any provider that completes the credentialing process and signs a contract with DBP during Q1 of 2026 will be able to have their claims for dates of service beginning Jan. 1 reimbursed as in network. Members will have in-network cost-sharing for these claims.
We’re here to help
If you want to find a new dentist or see if your current dentist is in DBP’s network, you can use our provider directory online. In-network dental providers are listed in the Find Care tool under “Dental Network M.”
And if you have questions about your provider or coverage, you can call the member service number on the back of your ID card for assistance.