Digital Engagement Boosts Member Utilization, Satisfaction 

When a state-managed Medicaid program client approached DentaQuest looking for ways to increase utilization of dental care services among members and improve their overall health experience, we knew we needed to take a modern approach and engage with members in the same way they connect in today's digital-first world.

Previously implemented traditional outreach methods such as postcards and robocalls were not meeting expectations, and the client continued to experience an increase in customer service calls from frustrated members trying to find a dentist or schedule an appointment.

To meet members where they are, DentaQuest implemented a HIPAA-compliant, third-party platform to send SMS notifications. The notifications linked to a personalized, secure web feed that allows for the inclusion of important member information such as dentist contact information and benefit updates, links to find a dentist tools and click-to-call easy scheduling.

Prior to implementing the solution, a client-administered survey revealed that two in three of its members stated that receiving text messages would increase their likelihood to read information about their benefits and oral health. And knowing what we know about mobile phone use - 85% of national Medicaid adults have a mobile phone and the average American looks at their phone 52 times a day - SMS technology was the perfect solution.

By using secure SMS technology to send important dental care messages, DentaQuest was able to increase utilization and improve member satisfaction for the client:

• 13% increase in utilization
• More than 50K non-utilizers submitted a claim after outreach via SMS
• Households with new claims rose by 10.5%