Southland Benefit Solutions announces coverage for D5994

Southland Benefit Solutions has announced coverage, effectively immediately, for a periodontal medicament carrier, an innovative tool used to deliver medication below the gums. Southland is the first carrier to announce the coverage decision. 

A periodontal medicament carrier, best known as a Perio Tray® (Perio Protect, St. Louis, MO), places medication deep into periodontal pockets, the space between teeth and gums that can harbor bacteria. In healthy gum tissue the pocket is 1-3 mm deep. When the pocket becomes infected, the space can exceed 3mm, depths almost impossible to clean with toothbrush, rinses or floss.

Perio Trays are proven to deliver medication to fight infections. They have an internal peripheral seal fabricated to place medication deep into pockets. Patients can only obtain a prescription Perio Tray through a licensed dentist who will develop and monitor a comprehensive treatment plan according to individual patient conditions.

Download DPR’s free e-book:  What you need know about changing dental fees and what you're charging patients

Southland expects that research, showing improvements in pocket depths and bleeding conditions with Perio Tray delivery, will translate into both better treatment outcomes for patients and a reduction in long-term health costs. In a July 2014 survey of dentists with extensive experience prescribing Perio Trays, conducted by Perio Protect and Actuarial Worksite Marketing, surgical costs were reduced by 43%, extractions were reduced by 35%, repetitive procedures to clean teeth below the gums were reduced by 32%, and patient satisfaction was 100%.

For additional information on Southland Benefit Solutions visit southlandbenefit.com. Perio Tray information is available at PerioProtect.com.

Related reading: Let's talk about money: The 2014 dental fee survey