Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina adds MUSC College of Dental Medicine to its network
December 5, 2019
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina announced that it will be adding the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine to its dental network. Effective Jan. 1, 2020, members participating in the BCBSSC dental network will have access to the only dental school in South Carolina.
The new partnership will add approximately 30 general and specialty dentists to the network. Nearly 1,200 providers are now part of the organization’s statewide network.
This marks a significant benefit to members covered under the Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA). MUSC employees and other state employees can take advantage of in-network cost savings when visiting the oral health professionals at the dental school and faculty practice.
In 2000, the U.S. Surgeon General issued the first report on oral health, which explained why oral health is essential to general health and well-being. Almost 20 years later, experts have established that dental health is an essential component in determining health status, considering poor oral health to play a role in various diseases and conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, pregnancy and birth complications, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.
“Oral health affects total health, quality of life and optimal wellness. Good dental care can reduce the risk of life-threatening illnesses,” said Matthew Bartels, vice president and chief medical officer at Blue Cross.
Members currently have access to all other MUSC Health facilities and providers, including specialty services not found in other facilities or practices in the state.
Patients seeking dental and oral care can choose to be treated by students, residents or in the faculty practice. For more information about patient services, visit https://muschealth.org/medical-services/dental.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the oldest medical school in the South, as well as the state’s only integrated, academic health sciences center with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and 700 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The state’s leader in obtaining biomedical research funds, in fiscal year 2019, MUSC set a new high, bringing in more than $284 million. For information on academic programs, visit http://musc.edu.
