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AAO revises policy statement on dental care programs
AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION
OF ORTHODONTISTS
AA0 revises policy statement on dental care programs
T
he American Association of Orthodontists considers the promotion of high standards of treatment to be of paramount importance for the patient, the orthodontist, and the third party. Accordingly, the Association has approved the following policy as an aid in the formation and administration of dental care programs : 1. Orthodontics is that specialty area of dentistry concerned with the supervision, guidance, and correction of the growing or mature dentofacial structures. Orthodontic care has both preventive and maintenance value and is an important factor in dental health. Orthodontic benefits should be included in all dental health care programs with availability equal to other services after a basic program of dental care is funded. 2. Prepaid programs should encourage maintenance of high standards of orthodontic treatment. 3. Prepaid programs should be compatible with the Principles of Ethics of the American Association of Orthodontists. 4. The Association encourages that its appropriate representatives at every level-state, provincial, regional, or national-be consulted in the development of prepaid dental care programs offering orthodontic benefits. 5. Orthodontic consultants should be acceptable to the constituent or component society in whose area the program would operate. 6. Orthodontics is a specialty area of dentistry requiring additional study, training, and experience ; therefore, orthodontic treatment should be rendered by those having the necessary qualifications. 7. The orthodontist should have the sole right to prescribe the treatment procedures for all patients under his care. 8. Fundamental to all prepaid dental care programs should be the free choice of the orthodontist by the patient and the orthodontist’s right to accept the patient. Distribution of lists of participating or nonparticipating orthodontists which might compromise this freedom of choice are unacceptable. The Association disAdopted
May
22, 1974.
Amended
at Atlanta
meeting,
May
25, 1977.
205
206
American
Associatio?l of Orthodorltists
Am. J. Orthod. August 1977
courages the required signing of a participating or membership agreement for any program. 9. Restriction of eligibility or limitation of benefits by defining severity of malocclusion or priority of treatment by any system or indices under the prepaid program is considered discriminatory. Such restrictions are strongly opposed. 10. Adoption of the American Dental Association’s Attendkg Dentist’s Statement (uniform claim form) is essential for standardizing the processing of claims and should be used. Use of the Association’s overlay or the Association’s modification of the American Dental Association’s uniform claim form to provide specific orthodontic information is also endorsed. 11. Classification or coding systems based on types of malocclusions, particularly as they relate to fees, is deemed impractical because of the innumerable complexities and variables of orthodontic care. 12. The Association opposes the routine submission of orthodontic records for third party programs. 13. The Association endorses the Principles of Peer Review and Quality ASsessment as appropriate methods for evaluating and maintaining the standards of orthodontic services. An effective system requires the maintenance of adequate orthodontic treatment records. 14. In all cases the patient is responsible to the orthodontist for all fees. Assignment of benefits should be optional, and methods of payment which assume a coercive or punitive connotation are opposed by the Association. 15. The Association opposes third party imposed fees. Pre-filing of fees by the orthodontist is strongly discouraged. 16. Co-payment, as a desirable means of maintaining patient responsibility during treatment, is strongly supported. 17. Patients under orthodontic treatment at the time a prepaid program begins should qualify for benefits on a prorated basis for the duration of treatment. 18. Third parties are urged to develop funding methods which ensure continuation of their financial obligation for the completion of treatment, regardless of termination or interruption of eligibility of the insured. Special consideration of the above policies may be necessary in publicly funded programs designated to provide care for indigent patients.
ASSOCIATION
OF ORTHODONTISTS
AA0 revises policy statement on dental care programs
T
he American Association of Orthodontists considers the promotion of high standards of treatment to be of paramount importance for the patient, the orthodontist, and the third party. Accordingly, the Association has approved the following policy as an aid in the formation and administration of dental care programs : 1. Orthodontics is that specialty area of dentistry concerned with the supervision, guidance, and correction of the growing or mature dentofacial structures. Orthodontic care has both preventive and maintenance value and is an important factor in dental health. Orthodontic benefits should be included in all dental health care programs with availability equal to other services after a basic program of dental care is funded. 2. Prepaid programs should encourage maintenance of high standards of orthodontic treatment. 3. Prepaid programs should be compatible with the Principles of Ethics of the American Association of Orthodontists. 4. The Association encourages that its appropriate representatives at every level-state, provincial, regional, or national-be consulted in the development of prepaid dental care programs offering orthodontic benefits. 5. Orthodontic consultants should be acceptable to the constituent or component society in whose area the program would operate. 6. Orthodontics is a specialty area of dentistry requiring additional study, training, and experience ; therefore, orthodontic treatment should be rendered by those having the necessary qualifications. 7. The orthodontist should have the sole right to prescribe the treatment procedures for all patients under his care. 8. Fundamental to all prepaid dental care programs should be the free choice of the orthodontist by the patient and the orthodontist’s right to accept the patient. Distribution of lists of participating or nonparticipating orthodontists which might compromise this freedom of choice are unacceptable. The Association disAdopted
May
22, 1974.
Amended
at Atlanta
meeting,
May
25, 1977.
205
206
American
Associatio?l of Orthodorltists
Am. J. Orthod. August 1977
courages the required signing of a participating or membership agreement for any program. 9. Restriction of eligibility or limitation of benefits by defining severity of malocclusion or priority of treatment by any system or indices under the prepaid program is considered discriminatory. Such restrictions are strongly opposed. 10. Adoption of the American Dental Association’s Attendkg Dentist’s Statement (uniform claim form) is essential for standardizing the processing of claims and should be used. Use of the Association’s overlay or the Association’s modification of the American Dental Association’s uniform claim form to provide specific orthodontic information is also endorsed. 11. Classification or coding systems based on types of malocclusions, particularly as they relate to fees, is deemed impractical because of the innumerable complexities and variables of orthodontic care. 12. The Association opposes the routine submission of orthodontic records for third party programs. 13. The Association endorses the Principles of Peer Review and Quality ASsessment as appropriate methods for evaluating and maintaining the standards of orthodontic services. An effective system requires the maintenance of adequate orthodontic treatment records. 14. In all cases the patient is responsible to the orthodontist for all fees. Assignment of benefits should be optional, and methods of payment which assume a coercive or punitive connotation are opposed by the Association. 15. The Association opposes third party imposed fees. Pre-filing of fees by the orthodontist is strongly discouraged. 16. Co-payment, as a desirable means of maintaining patient responsibility during treatment, is strongly supported. 17. Patients under orthodontic treatment at the time a prepaid program begins should qualify for benefits on a prorated basis for the duration of treatment. 18. Third parties are urged to develop funding methods which ensure continuation of their financial obligation for the completion of treatment, regardless of termination or interruption of eligibility of the insured. Special consideration of the above policies may be necessary in publicly funded programs designated to provide care for indigent patients.