News
Another Record-Setting CONVERGE – Here are a Few Highlights
By Mike Adelberg, NADP Executive Director
September 30, 2024
NADP’s annual conference, CONVERGE, occurred from September 23-26 in Minneapolis. For the third straight year, we set a new high for in-person attendance. 704 people attended this year’s CONVERGE. NADP’s Education Commission, chaired by Jacquie Baker, outdid itself with a well-executed conference and balanced agenda featuring traditional general sessions, smaller breakout sessions, meetings of NADP’s many commissions and workgroups, and solution-focused mini-presentations in our Discovery Zone. We also had a sold-out and teeming exhibit area.
If you missed CONVERGE, below I summarize a few parts of the conference that were particularly meaningful to me. Needless to say, in a short blog, I can only highlight a fraction of the excellent content at this year’s conference.
NADP’s 13 commissions, workgroups and task force met. They examined their progress on their stated 2024 goals and began planning for 2025. They reported out on the wide range of topics on which they’re focused. Important work continues and several technical topics, including new diagnostic terminology crosswalks and updating claim adjustment reason codes (CARCs) and remittance advice remark codes (RARCs) to improve the 835 ERA. There was also a report on the network leasing best practices, which was rolled-out last month (see the August blog).
On the communications front, we discussed our first digital ad campaign and new comms materials. The Membership Workgroup took a well-deserved victory lap for bringing in 24 new members in the last year and establishing a new associate membership category for dental schools. The Research Commission reported on the expanding suite and NADP research initiatives, including new research projects with external partners. NADP’s Future of Dental Care Task Force reported on its consideration of dental office “pain points” and emerging focus on clinical innovations.
NADP’s three public policy-focused workgroups reported on the wide variety of public policy issues on which they are working. The long list includes: the independent purchase of dental plans on ACA Marketplaces, adult dental as an Essential Health Benefit, and a number of issues related to dental benefit delivery including provider networks, claims processing and modes of payment, benefit design, and utilization management.
On the main stage, attendees heard from a variety of speakers. In the interest of brevity, I’ll mention only two of the general sessions: Dr. Natalia Chalmers, the chief dental officer at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), presented on the federal government’s oral health priorities and showed new CMS data demonstrating that we all can do more to address the oral health needs of all Americans. Attendees also heard about key trends in the industry from a panel of CEOs. For the second straight year, this panel included a DSO CEO to offer the provider perspective.
Breakout sessions explored a wide variety of topics, including AI and technology topics, a range of operational topics, medical loss ratio and other public policy topics, and potential paradigm shifts, including dental-medical integration and a case study on value-based reimbursement in dental care.
Lastly, CONVERGE is the place where the association holds its annual meeting with member CEOs and association delegates to transact the business of the association. NADP’s Board of Directors, chaired by Donna Hunter, discussed the strategic direction of NADP and its solid finances. We updated NADP’s bylaws for the first time since 2008.
Of course, informal networking and renewing old friendships was continuous throughout the conference—and positive vibes reverberated throughout the conference hall over three days. I extend my sincerest thanks to the NADP staff for performing the many inglorious tasks—bag stuffing, mic-running, staffing the “reg desk”, etc.—that are essential to the execution of a highly successful conference. And I extend my sincere thanks to the NADP community for your dedication and enthusiasm. See you next year in California.
