In the end of 2018, the Netherlands-based Dentacoin Foundation announced the launch of the long-awaited Dentacoin Assurance’s testnet.
Dentacoin Assurance entitles patients to lifelong, preventive dental care against affordable monthly premiums paid to dentists in Dentacoin (DCN) cryptocurrency. The relations are established through smart contracts directly between patients and dentists. The blockchain technology is intelligently applied to automate and secure the process, as well as to encourage both parties towards sustainable prevention instead of acute treatment.
PROBLEM:
Poor oral health caused by lack of prevention, insufficient oral hygiene habits and limited private insurance access are in the midst of the global health crisis.
Ninety percent of all dental costs per annum are spent on problems that are proven preventable through right nutrition, proper oral hygiene habits and regular dental check-ups. People lack both the knowledge and the motivation to take proper care of their teeth. Regular dental visits have not yet become a habit. The absence of comprehensive oral care exacts a toll on thousands of patients in terms of poor health and pain. One postponed dental visit costs multiple times more when finally done and is accompanied by more painful feelings. Moreover, oral health is intimately connected to general health and can be implicated in problems with the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems.
The regular public insurances in most countries cover only standard dental treatments, while simultaneously the private health insurances are unthinkably expensive for the low income groups. Plans often require hefty copays and no or very limited coverage for full implant-based restorations. For budget reasons, people without private health insurances are not only afraid to visit a dentist because of the possibly occurring costs but are also economically forced to accept low-quality dental restorations such as removable dentures.
SOLUTION:
Dentacoin Assurance entitles patients to lifelong, preventive dental care against affordable monthly premiums in Dentacoin (DCN) cryptocurrency.
Dentists receive regular monthly capitations, with the provision that all services will be provided to patients at no charge or at greatly reduced fees. The model brings the financial interests of both parties into complete alignment with no intermediates while shifting the focus from acute treatment to sustainable prevention and establishing strong, lasting bonds.
Dentacoin Foundation provides the contract, payment and notification infrastructure, sets the hard conditions in the contract (3 checkups per year/ teeth cleanings, Dentacare App use) and suggests average Assurance monthly rates. The Assurance premiums may vary between USD 2.5 and USD 50 in DCN depending on the country and the scope of services covered. For example, a monthly premium for General, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry services covered can be the equivalent of USD 50 in the USA, and the equivalent of USD 5 in India. Dentists and patients have their full autonomy to decide for mutually beneficial rates.
This Assurance program does not compete with other public and private health insurance plans. Dentists are free to decide which insurance/assurance programs to work with. They can either offer Dentacoin Assurance as a complementary plan which will cover/reduce their patients’ out-of-pocket costs or as a stand-alone plan in case other options are not available.
Dentacoin Assurance will be publicly presented in March 2019 during the 38th International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne, Germany – the world’s leading dental business summit gathering together 2,300+ exhibitors from all corners of the world and 155,000+ guests from 157 countries.
