Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who is Midwest Dental Benefits?
A. Midwest Dental Benefits provides third party administration to self-funded employers offering dental and vision benefits to their employees and dependents. MDB is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Minnesota Dental Association.
Q. Do you offer dental plans for individuals or families?
A. In addition to the plans that we offer through employer groups, we also offer personal dental plans for individuals and families through Excel Dental. Brochures are available for distribution in your dental office. For more information, click here.
Q. Is there a maximum allowable charge (sometimes called a UC&R)?
A. Each employer can set a fee schedule (maximum amount) that they will pay on specific procedures. These schedules vary, but generally are inclusive of the submitted charge in well over 70 percent of cases. Any additional charge above the fee schedule becomes the responsibility of your patient.
Q. Why did you tell my patient my fees are high?
A. We tell patients only what is covered. If your fee exceeds that amount, the patient is so informed, but they are informed that the group determines the fee schedule. Our customer service personnel do not make judgments as to whether fees are "high" or "low".
Q. How do I know my patient's group number?
A. The group number will be on the patient's ID card or you can call us at 800-836-4098 and our customer service center will be able to provide that information.
Q. How can I get a breakdown of benefits for my patient?
A. Please call us at 800-836-4098 to get a breakdown of benefits.
Q. Do you require pre-authorizations?
A. Midwest Dental Benefits does not require pre-authorizations for treatment. You can have a pre-estimate done for the recommended treatment to determine payment amount. (Sorry, we cannot guarantee this estimate because additional claims may have come in prior to submission of your claim, the patient employment status may have changed, etc.)
Q. Do you coordinate benefits?
A. Without exception, our employer groups require coordination of benefits with other dental plans. The generally accepted standard of submitting a copy of the EOB with the claim to the secondary plan is the most rapid way to obtain payment when MDB is the administrator for the secondary coverage.