At Kaiser Permanente, we believe oral health and the health of the whole body are intimately connected. That's why our Dental Care Program focuses on our members' oral health and its relationship to their overall health. We call this integrated care, and we believe it sets the standard for quality dentistry.
The Kaiser Permanente Dental Care Program is one of the largest group dental practices in the nation. Currently we have 17 dental offices, from Longview, Washington, to Salem, Oregon. Our 130 general dentists and specialists, along with 450 other dental professionals and staff, serve more than 180,000 dental members.
At Kaiser Permanente, personal dental care means our members see a friendly, familiar face when they visit their dental office. It means they get care from professionals who know their history and needs. Our members can choose a dental office that's convenient to their home or work. They can get information online, in our Dental Directory, or from our Membership Services staff.
Our dental plan members benefit from our integrated medical and dental care network. The care we provide is based on scientific evidence about which kinds of preventive care and treatment are most effective.
In fact, our medical and dental programs are linked to the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland. Currently, we are actively involved in research studies funded at more than $25 million. We believe this research will give us new tools to keep improving the oral and general health of our membersso they can be well and thrive.
Today, dentists and doctors recognize that dental health is an important part of overall health. Poor dental health can cause serious health problems in other parts of the body. We want to help our members achieve and maintain good dental health as part of their total health, so they can live life to the fullest—so they can thrive.
Members of the Kaiser Permanente dental program have access to affordable dental care with an emphasis on prevention. Our dental care program is the only dental practice in the Pacific Northwest that is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.
We own and operate our dental offices and set our own quality standards for the care our members receive. We practice evidence-based dentistry, which stresses evidence from clinical research as a basis for treatment choices. With the Kaiser Permanente dental program, there are no claim forms to fill out, unless a member receives emergency care outside our service area when traveling.
Most members pay copayments, coinsurance, or both when they receive care. Payment is due at the time members receive care. We'll provide an estimate of the cost of their next visit when members make an appointment in the dental office. Members can find out how much their coinsurance and copayments are by looking at their summary of benefits. They can ask at their employee benefits office for these publications, or contact Membership Services.
See our online directory to find locations, dentists, maps and to download a copy of the print version of our dental directory.
When members call to make an appointment or visit a dental office for care, they should have their Kaiser Permanente identification (ID) card handy. Each member is the only person authorized to use his or her ID card.
Members who need care before their Kaiser Permanente ID card arrives in the mail should call Membership Services to make an appointment. Members who lose their card should call Membership Services for a replacement.
Personal dental care means that members see a friendly, familiar face when they visit their local dental office. It means getting care from dental professionals who know each member's needs and history. We're here to help make it easy. Members can follow these simple steps:
Members can choose one of our dental offices that's convenient, or get the name of the dentist and/or hygienist they'd like to see. Then they should call the Appointment Center. We will arrange an appointment as soon as possible.
We offer Saturday hours in addition to regular weekday hours. Saturday hours are for emergency care and routine hygiene appointments. To find out about services available on Saturdays, members should call the Appointment Center.
Members should remember:
Having reasonable wait times for appointments is a priority in our dental care program. If a member has an emergency, we'll schedule an appointment the same day or the next business day. For needs that can't wait until the next routine appointment, we'll schedule an appointment within six weeks. For preplanned dental work, the wait time depends on the demands of a dentist's practice.
A few weeks before a member is due for the next exam or teeth cleaning, members receive a reminder call to schedule an appointment. The wait will depend on how busy the dental office is. Members should let us know if the wait time is a problem.
When members have questions or need care, they can call the Appointment Center. Appointment Center hours are 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday. Most telephone services are available 24 hours a day. Members can:
| To use the Appointment center, members should call: | |
|---|---|
| Portland area | 503-286-6868 |
| Salem area | 503-370-4311 |
| Vancouver area | 360-254-9158 |
| Longview area | 360-575-4800 |
| TTY | 1-800-735-2900 (toll free) |
