Insights and reflections

CONVERGE brings the dental benefits community together around the issues that matter most: access, affordability, innovation, provider experience and better health outcomes. For G.E.H.A Solutions, the value of the conference goes beyond the sessions. It’s an opportunity to connect with peers, meet with clients face to face and have meaningful conversations that build stronger partnerships.

That’s what our conference theme captured: driving better outcomes, one connection at a time.

This year’s discussions made one point clear: innovation only creates value when it works in the real world. Across sessions on artificial intelligence (AI), value-based care, credentialing, interoperability and medical-dental integration, a recurring message emerged: technology must be supported by clean, trustworthy data, well-designed workflows and shared accountability.

Clean data is the foundation for better decisions and better experiences. Accurate provider information supports network access and reduces friction for members and providers. Connected clinical, claims and administrative data can help organizations identify gaps in care, improve coordination and measure whether programs are achieving their intended outcomes. But automation and APIs don’t fix inconsistent information; without a strong data foundation, they can simply scale errors.

That’s why the in-person conversations at CONVERGE matter. They give plans, providers, DSOs, technology partners and other industry leaders a forum to compare perspectives, identify practical barriers and explore solutions together.

The conference also highlights the important work of the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) Foundation. Re-established in 2023, the foundation has made grants to seven organizations across 2025 and 2026. Its work supports initiatives that expand oral health access, encourage innovation in care delivery, advance dental benefits administration and strengthen the knowledge of oral health professionals and students.

That mission aligns closely with G.E.H.A Solutions’ commitment to expanding oral health access through workforce investment. Through partnerships with the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry and BrownGirl, RDH, G.E.H.A Solutions has invested more than $1.6 million across 200+ scholarships and fellowships, supporting future dental and dental hygiene professionals from more than 140 cities and towns. These investments help to build a stronger oral health workforce, one that can expand access in communities that need it most.

CONVERGE is a reminder that progress happens through connection: connecting data, systems and stakeholders; connecting with clients and peers in person; and connecting today’s investments to a stronger future for oral health access. That’s how we’re driving better outcomes, one connection at a time.

SOURCES:

National Association of Dental Plans
UMKC School of Dentistry | UMKC
BrownGirl, RDH