The Latest From MCNA
Below is the latest news and information from MCNA, as well as news from our partners in the dental health care industry. You may also subscribe to our RSS News Feed, or follow us on our Social Media Sites for quick access to our latest news and events.
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MCNA Dental has appointed Rose Naff as Vice President of Operations and Colleen Grace as Associate Vice President of Operations. As key members of MCNA Dental's executive leadership team, Ms. Naff and Ms. Grace are responsible for leading the operational teams that serve the unique needs of our members and participating providers.
"At MCNA Dental, our focus on operational excellence delivers improved oral health outcomes for our members and enhances efficiencies for our state partners. Rose and Colleen's expansive plan operations experience serves as an invaluable perspective that helps to guide our organization," said Dr. Jeffrey Feingold, President and Chief Executive Officer for MCNA Dental.
Ms. Naff has more than 22 years of experience as a leader in state run health care agencies and as a health care consultant. Prior to joining MCNA Dental, she served as Director of Division of Medical Services for the Arkansas Department of Human Services. Ms. Naff began her healthcare career at the Florida Department of Insurance before becoming Executive Director of the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, where she focused on child health policy, outreach, and health care finance.
Ms. Grace has over 30 years of Medicaid operations experience in the State of Texas, including leadership of the Health Plan Management section of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Her responsibilities included oversight of large-scale managed care expansions and ongoing oversight of Texas Medicaid and CHIP health and dental plans. Prior to joining MCNA Dental, Ms. Grace served as the Director of Health Plan Operations with the Texas Association of Health Plans, establishing best practices for health plans to successfully accommodate programmatic changes.
MCNA Dental began serving members enrolled in the Utah Medicaid Dental Program on September 1, 2018, as a dental benefits manager contracted with the Utah Department of Health. MCNA Dental is one of two dental managed care organizations serving approximately 250,000 Utah Medicaid enrollees statewide. MCNA Dental currently administers dental benefits for 4.2 million children and adults in Texas, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Arkansas, with operations in Washington beginning soon.
MCNA Dental's Utah plan is led by two Utah-based pediatric dentists, Dr. Barney Olsen and Dr. David Stewart. As Co-Dental Directors,
Dr. Olsen and Dr. Stewart guide plan operations to ensure MCNA Dental's Utah members receive access to the high quality, compassionate dental care and services that they deserve.
"We are proud to be a part of the future of Utah's oral health. Our focus on early and ongoing preventive care, positive engagement, and targeted member outreach is a proven model for dental care that will help to improve oral health outcomes for our state's Medicaid enrollees. We look forward to collaborating with our providers and community partners to provide the best dental care possible for our members," said Dr. Olsen.
"MCNA Dental believes in enhanced support for our network dentists through world class customer service and innovative technology solutions. We value the voice of the dental community and commit to using provider feedback as a part of our continuous cycle of quality improvement," said Dr. Stewart.
MCNA Dental provides access to high quality oral health care for enrollees in the Utah Medicaid Dental Program through an extensive network of dentists and dental specialists. The company uses innovative outreach campaigns, active case management, and enduring relationships with community partners to serve the most vulnerable populations across the country.
MCNA Dental announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) to provide dental managed care to enrollees in the statewide Washington Medicaid Managed Care Dental Program. Over 2 million Washington residents are enrolled in the Washington Medicaid program, also known as Apple Health. MCNA Dental's operations in Washington will begin in January 2019.
MCNA's Washington-based team will include Dr. Bruce Toillion and Dr. Lawrence Mast, our Washington Dental Directors, and Dr. Bryan Williams, our Washington Executive Director.
"MCNA Dental is proud to partner with the HCA to offer Medicaid enrollees access to our innovative integrated care programs and services to help improve their oral health for life. We fully support the goals of the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry program (ABCD) and are dedicated to its continuing success as a leading national model for community-based pediatric dental care." said Dr. Philip Hunke, MCNA Dental's Plan President.
MCNA Dental utilizes feedback from our participating providers to ensure continuous quality improvement. Our Washington-based team will maintain open lines of communication with dental organizations, network providers, the University of Washington School of Dentistry, and community organizations to assist in the creation and development of patient-centered, outcome-driven quality initiatives.
"We look forward to working with HCA to expand access to dental services for Washington Medicaid enrollees. Our team utilizes local expertise and relationships as well as national resources to empower dental providers to emphasize prevention for better oral and overall health," said Dr. Joel Berg, MCNA Dental's incoming Vice President of West Coast Operations.
MCNA Dental announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to administer dental benefits to children and adults enrolled in the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program. MCNA Dental first became a dental benefits administrator for the Florida Healthy Kids program in 2005 and the Florida Medicaid program in 2006. MCNA Dental currently serves over 4.2 million Medicaid and CHIP members in Texas, Florida, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Arkansas, with operations in Utah beginning soon.
Dental services under the new Florida Medicaid contract are expected to begin during a phased roll out starting December 1, 2018, in Medicaid regions 9, 10, and 11. The roll out will continue in 2019 with Phase 2 in regions 5, 6, 7, and 8 on January 1, and Phase 3 in regions 1, 2, 3, and 4 on February 1.
"As a Florida dental plan for over 25 years, we look forward to continuing our relationship with AHCA and our statewide network of dentists to administer high quality oral health care for Medicaid enrollees across Florida," said Glen Feingold, Chief Operating Officer for MCNA Dental.
MCNA Dental began providing dental managed care for the Florida Medicaid program 12 years ago beginning with the Medicaid reform program, then moving forward as a dental benefits administrator for the Miami-Dade demonstration project and the statewide Prepaid Dental Health Plan program. Since 2014, MCNA Dental has managed dental benefits for several managed care organizations serving the Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program.
"Our robust provider network allows MCNA Dental to comprehensively meet the oral health needs of the most underserved and vulnerable members of our state. We have a successful history of ensuring access to quality dental care for our Florida members through our longstanding collaborative partnerships with dentists across the state," said Dr.Ronald Ruth, Chief Dental Officer for MCNA Dental.

MCNA Dental has once again earned URAC Dental Plan Accreditation after completing the thorough desktop review and onsite interview processes. The accreditation is valid through December 2020. This is the second time that MCNA Dental has received accreditation from URAC for its dental plan operations since 2014 when the company became the first dental plan in the nation to earn this important distinction.
"Our mission includes going the extra mile to demonstrate our commitment to quality. Applying for and achieving URAC Dental Plan accreditation is just one way we show our clients that MCNA Dental is an active and effective partner in the delivery of oral health care and services. We are very proud to achieve this distinction once again as proof of our dedication to improving oral health outcomes for our members across the nation," said Dr. Philip Hunke, Plan President for MCNA.
"Just like health plans, American dental plans are now receiving increased expectations for their quality and that they can demonstrate they deliver better care at a lower cost. With URAC Dental Plan Accreditation, MCNA Dental distinguishes itself by verifying its safety and security against a set of rigorous quality standards. We salute MCNA Dental for its commitment to meeting population health goals," said URAC President and CEO Kylanne Green.
URAC's mission is to advance quality in healthcare through leadership, accreditation, measurement, and innovation. URAC's accreditation process enables learning and compliance with nationally recognized healthcare standards and supports improvements and innovation in healthcare management and delivery.
MCNA Dental began serving members enrolled in the Arkansas Medicaid and CHIP dental program on January 1, 2018, as a dental benefits manager contracted with the Arkansas Department of Human Services. MCNA Dental provides coordinated and fully integrated oral health care to over 300,000 children and adults across the state.
"MCNA delivers high-quality dental care and services to children and adults. We are passionate about our partnership with the Arkansas dental community, and we look forward to collaborating with our network providers to achieve lasting positive impacts on the oral health of our members," said Dr. Thomas Isbell, Arkansas Dental Director for MCNA Dental.
MCNA Dental's comprehensive approach to dental care has been successful in the other states the company serves, including the neighboring states of Texas and Louisiana. The company's focus on outstanding service and support for participating dentists helps to facilitate the delivery of quality dental care and treatment. MCNA Dental offers providers access to innovative technology-based solutions that streamline administrative processes and enhance the availability of information.
"MCNA Dental has always been committed to innovation. Tools like our online Provider Portal help to simplify processes, and our Member Portal and mobile app give members easy access to better care," said Executive Director, Dr. John Grammer. "We are proud to utilize these proven solutions in Arkansas to ensure that Medicaid and CHIP enrollees receive the best care possible."