DentaQuest Institute

November 29, 2010— The DentaQuest Institute is pleased to announce that Dr. Jay Anderson has been appointed Director of Practice Improvement. Dr. Anderson will contribute to the DentaQuest Institute’s mission of improving oral health by providing quality guidance and technical assistance to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of oral health care delivery.

Prior to joining the DentaQuest Institute, Dr. Anderson served as Chief Dental Officer at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resource and Service Administration (HRSA) where he worked to ensure access to care for millions of at-risk Americans who depend on safety net dental clinics and health centers. In his new role, Dr. Anderson will lead the work being done by the DentaQuest Institute to support oral health professionals as they work to improve the care they provide to their patients.

“Jay is a great match for the mission and work of the DentaQuest Institute,” said Mark Doherty, Executive Director of the DentaQuest Institute. “His experience with safety net dentistry is invaluable to the work the DentaQuest Institute does to support the oral health safety net, including improving the effectiveness and efficiency of care. We are fortunate to get his wisdom and experience on our team.”

As a result of recent health reform legislation, thousands of new children will become eligible for dental care as an essential benefit in the next few years. The growth in numbers of individuals eligible for care will pose significant challenges to the already strained public oral health delivery system. Patients visiting health centers typically have the highest levels of oral disease and are the least able to access care. Dr. Anderson will use the tools developed by the DentaQuest Institute to assist health centers across the United States as they work to expand the capacity to serve the oral healthcare needs of high risk populations.

“The DentaQuest Institute is a leader in improvement strategies that today are significantly impacting the effectiveness and efficiency of safety net dental programs,” said Dr. Anderson. “I am happy to become a part of their accomplished team.”

Dr. Anderson graduated from the University of Kentucky, College of Dentistry. He received a Master of Health Services Administration (M.H.S.A.) from The University of Michigan and is working to complete his Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.) at the Keller Graduate School of Management.

About DentaQuest Institute
The DentaQuest Institute (www.dentaquestinstitute.org) is a not-for-profit organization focused on research and supported by the DentaQuest family of oral health companies. The DentaQuest Institute works with clinical partners across the country to develop and implement more effective approaches to preventing and managing oral disease.

DentaQuest is one of the nation’s largest dental benefits providers, serving more than 12 million members through both commercial and government dental programs. DentaQuest provides high quality dental benefits programs, and is a partner in the community, committed to improving oral health through access, innovation and affordability.

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