← Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
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- [00:00]
A
Hello, this is Ariana Portolattin with the Beckers Dental and DSO Review podcast. I'm thrilled to be joined today by Manish Nayak, president of the Dental and Vision unit at CIGNA Healthcare. Maneesh, thank you so much for being here today. It is great to have you on our podcast.
- [00:14]
B
Thank you very much, Arianna.
- [00:16]
A
Yeah, to start us off, can you introduce yourself for our listeners and tell us a little bit about your background?
- [00:21]
B
Sure. So, I'm Manish Nayak, president of Cigna Healthcare's dental and vision business. We serve 17 million customers across the country, mostly in employer sponsored dental insurance and individual dental insurance. I oversee everything from network and product strategy to provider relations, innovation and clinical execution. I joined Cigna in 2011 right after the passage of the Affordable Care act to help build and then eventually lead our individual and family plans business, which eventually grew to serve over half a million customers. I then held roles in enterprise operations, including leading major initiatives following the Cigna Express Scripts merger and our return to office strategy. Post Covid. Before Cigna, I worked in financial services, helping launch the home equity lending business at Capital One and then leading mortgage operations at ETrade Bank. As far as my educational background, I studied mechanical engineering at Cornell and I earned my MBA from Duke University. I live in Tysons Corner, Virginia with my wife and two daughters. My wife is actually a dentist and I helped her start her practice over 20 years ago. So while I'm a little newer working in this industry, I've been very close to it for a very long time through my wife. And what excites me about my role is the impact that we can have on whole person health. When we think about our customers, we're thinking about their vitality, not just their teeth. And I'm energized by the opportunity to improve life through that connection.
- [01:45]
A
Great, thank you so much for that introduction there. It's great to hear about your background. First question for you here. What are some of the biggest issues that you're following in the dental industry right now?
- [01:56]
B
Yeah, I think there's a couple. I think the first and the biggest issue in the industry right now is really the lack of labor. Dentists are facing an incredible amount of shortage with specifically hygienist post Covid. I see that firsthand with my wife's practice as well as my friends who are dentists and, and I think that's putting a lot of stress in the system. Dentists are not practicing at the highest level of their license. Patients are waiting longer to be able to get appointments to see their dentist and get their cleanings and that's ultimately leading to delayed care. I think second is just the cost pressure of employers having now to deal with increasing medical, pharmacy, behavioral health expenses. And now that we're seeing that in the dental industry as well too. So this used to be a very stable product for employer sponsored health insurance and it's changing, it's becoming more dynamic, there's more pressure on employers to maintain affordability and that's giving us an opportunity actually to help shape plan designs and build our network in a way that leads to more affordable products that more people can leverage. And I think the third thing, the third sort of big thing in the dental industry is the rise of AI and potential help to ease the administrative burden that practices are facing. There's a lot of AI startup, there's a lot of VC money coming into the AI space, particularly around oral care. Some of it is in the clinical space, a lot of it is in sort of the administrative overhead space. Things like patient eligibility verification, looking up claims and making sure that dentists can actually spend more of their time actually delivering care than in managing their practice.
- [03:39]
A
So cost is often the number one reason patients avoid dental visits. From your experience, what role can employers and carriers play in reshaping affordability strategies to improve preventative care uptake?
- [03:51]
B
Yeah, affordability is certainly a major barrier to vitality and it's one we're working very hard to address. Because oral health isn't just about teeth and gums, it's deeply connected to overall health, which obviously in turn affects everything from employee productivity to long term health healthcare costs. So when people skip dental care because of cost, it can lead to more serious and much more expensive issues down the line. In fact, 60% of Americans forego dental care due to cost. That's a staggering number and it's a clear call to action. I think employers and carriers have a real opportunity here. First, we Cigna need to help employers understand that investing in dental benefits is an investment in whole person health. And our role is to create innovative benefit plan designs which are affordable and easy to understand so that more employees actually choose to sign up for dental coverage. Then it's about making it easier for employees to actually use those benefits. Whether that's lower out of pocket costs, smarter plan design, or incentives that encourage preventive care like regular checkups. You know, one example in our partnership with a company called Patient, which gives our members a flexible way to pay for out of pocket dental expenses over time, completely interest free, it's a simple no Cost option that helps remove the financial stress that often keeps people from getting the care they need. When we combine smart benefit designed with tools like this, we're not just improving access, we're helping people stay healthier and avoiding more costly interventions later on.
- [05:27]
A
Great. And how can dental organizations such as carriers, healthcare providers, and industry organizations play a part in supporting whole person care?
- [05:37]
B
Yeah, that's a great question. Whole person care requires collaboration across the entire dental ecosystem. Carriers, providers and industry organizations all have a role to play as an integrated healthcare company. We focus on leveraging data, dental and medical data, to better understand how oral health impacts overall well being. That integration allows us to use advanced analytics to identify customers who aren't getting preventive care and engage them through targeted outreach and marketing campaigns. It's not just about offering coverage, it's about helping people use it in ways that improve their health. But healthcare providers are essential partners in this effort as well. They're often the first to detect signs of broader health issues, and their ability to educate patients and coordinate care is key to driving better outcomes. I think industry organizations also play a critical role. Whether it's through advocacy, research, education, or setting standards that actually promote integrated care models. And finally, for employers, incentives matter. Whether it's rewarding employees for going to preventive visits or encouraging participation in wellness programs, we all need to make it easier and more motivating for people to take action on their health. We've seen firsthand how integrated care can drive better outcomes. For example, our research shows that individuals with mental health conditions like depression or anxiety often neglect oral hygiene, which leads to more serious conditions down the line. But when dental, medical and behavioral healthcare are coordinated, patients are much more likely to engage in preventive care and achieve better health outcomes. It's really a powerful reminder that when we treat the whole person, not just isolated symptoms, we can really make a difference in their health journey.
- [07:24]
A
Super interesting to learn about integrated care and the tools that insurers are using to boost integrated care among the dental community as well. Given that there are gaps in social detriments of health that create barriers to oral care, what strategic steps can dental organizations take to improve access and equity, especially in rural and underserved communities?
- [07:44]
B
You know, improving access and equity in oral care first, I think, starts with recognizing the social determinants of health like geography, income, education, and language really do significantly impact whether someone gets the care they need. Now, at Cigna Dental, I think we take a multi pronged approach to address some of these barriers. First, we're focused on expanding meaningful Network access. And this is hard, especially in rural and underserved areas. This includes exploring things like virtual care options like teledentistry, as well as on site dental services that bring care directly to communities where providers might be scarce. And we're also looking at benefit design and making sure that plans reduce cost share barriers and actively encourage preventive care. I think another key area is just simply health literacy. We're reviewing all of our member facing materials to ensure they're written at a seventh grade reading level so that they're really easy to understand and actionable for the widest range of individuals as possible. And finally, as I mentioned, we're leveraging data and analytics to identify populations who aren't engaging in preventive care. We reach out to them with targeted campaigns. Now it's really about meeting people where they are physically, financially and educationally that helps them take steps towards better overall health.
- [09:03]
A
Yes, definitely. Thank you so much for sharing a bit more about there. And I know technology plays such a huge role in dental care nowadays and teledentistry and mobile dental care have grown so rapidly over the past few years. Of course, how should dental organizations approach innovation and technology adoption to ensure that these tools are both effective and inclusive?
- [09:24]
B
Yeah, post Covid certainly has seen a rise of teledentistry adoption. And we fundamentally believe the teledentistry and mobile dental care have an important place in the broader ecosystem of delivering oral health. These tools can be game changers, especially for people in rural areas, working parents who can't easily take time off, or anyone facing logistical barriers to care. We're focused on making these solutions both accessible and affordable. We've had success offering virtual dental consults at little to no cost, which can help people avoid unnecessary ER visits, is a major cost saving measure and a better health outcome. We certainly recognize teledentistry isn't ever going to replace in person care entirely, but it can be a powerful first line of defense. You know, as part of our innovation efforts, our customers can access a tool called smartscan free of charge to get a quick assessment of their oral health with just a few pictures from their smartphone. The intent here is to educate and reduce the fear and anxiety that many people have with the uncertainty of seeing a dentist for the first time or after a long absence. It gives them something that they can take to the dental office so that they feel more confident with what that experience is going to be like. And we're also seeing promising results with mobile dentistry. Like it's certainly not a one size fits all solution, but for the right populations, it can be incredibly effective. Ultimately, we don't think innovation in dental care is just about technology. It's really about meeting people where they are and then removing barriers to better health.
- [11:03]
A
Some important points that you made there. Thank you so much for those. Well, that is all I have for you today. Manish. Thank you so much for joining us. It's been a pleasure speaking with you on our podcast today, and I'm looking forward to connecting with you again in the future.
- [11:14]
B
Thanks Arianna. Really appreciate the opportunity to join you. Share a little bit about Cigna Dental. I listen to this podcast frequently, so it's been fun being a guest. Thank you so much.
- [11:23]
A
Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your day.