Washington's Largest Private Dental Insurance Company Cuts Dentists Reimbursements 15 Per Cent

The dental economy has been struggling like the general economy but this cannot be good news for state of Washington dentists.

Patients covered by the Washington's largest dental insurance company may have to look for a new dentist soon.

The Washington Dental Service's CEO expects "some" of its dentists to drop WDS patients within the next six weeks.

In June, WDS is reducing the amount of money dentists will be reimbursed. The cut will be at least 15 percent.

Most of WDS' 2.5 million patients live in Washington state, and include Boeing employees, state workers and teachers. Around 4,000 dentists across the state accept WDS patients.

Jim Dwyer, CEO of WDS, said the company needs to reduce reimbursements to stay competitive.

With the cost of dental practice so high and dentist education even higher, this will be a blow to especially the younger in practice Washington dentists. In the 1950's, most American dental patients did not have any private dental insurance and government supported dental Medicaid was limited. Of course, utilization of dentist services was lower except for extractions and dentures.

With many states limiting or eliminating dental Medicaid and with now private insurers cutting their reimbursements, will dentists have any choice but to return to a "cash" concierge type of dental practice?

And, the dentist's that cannot, then go out of business and leave the profession?