This year’s consortium topic is Innovations to Dental Benefits and Building Support for Them. This collaborative program will examine and consider the ways that dental plans can innovate their benefits, including new cost-sharing structures, member incentives and transparency tools, and tools that incentivize providers and members to select high-value services. Relatedly, the consortium will deepen the toolbox…

Session 2: May 14, 2026 1:00 - 2:30 PM (CT) Topic: Dental insurance benefits innovation Differentiating plan design through emerging benefit structures and implementation considerations. Recommended Job Areas: Product Development, Product Strategy, Actuarial, Underwriting, Network Strategy, Sales and Account Management, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, Operations   Jill Purcell Head of Dental and Vision Product and Network…

Session 3: June 17, 2026 1:00 - 2:30 PM (CT) Topic: The mouth is part of the body Holistic health-focused dental innovations, chronic condition programs, and medical dental integration. Recommended Job Areas: Clinical Affairs, Product Development, Value Based Care, Population Health, Medical Dental Integration Teams, Provider Network, Care Management, Quality Improvement   Dr. Suzanne Ebert…

Session 4: July 15, 2026 1:00 - 2:30 PM (CT) Topic: Technology innovation in dental insurance AI, automation, teledentistry, and advanced data tools for insurers, providers, and members. Recommended Job Areas: Information Technology, Digital Transformation, Operations, Claims and Payment Integrity, Data Analytics, Fraud Waste and Abuse, Provider Network Operations, Member Experience This session is sponsored by…

Session 5: August 26, 2026 1:00 - 2:30 PM (CT) Topic: Access-to-care innovations Expanding access through alternative delivery models, workforce strategies, and patient engagement. Recommended Job Areas: Provider Network, Network Access and Adequacy, Credentialing and Provider Enrollment, Clinical Affairs, Care Management, Health Equity and Access, Member Services, Community Outreach Consortium Session #5 sponsorship available! Are you…

Get Ready for the Ultimate Industry Experience at CONVERGE 2026! Mark your calendars for September 28-Oct. 1, 2026, and join us at the JW Marriott Indianapolis for an electrifying 2.5 days of game-changing insights, powerful networking, and face-to-face connections with the biggest innovators and decision-makers in the dental benefits industry. This is more than just a conference—it’s…

Session 6: October 1, 2026 8:30 - 12:00 PM (ET) CONVERGE In-Person Workshop Location: JW Marriott Indianapolis Collaborating with industry experts to develop model documents and best practices that can be implemented across dental plans. Recommended Job Areas: All areas       Teresa Duncan, MS President, Odyssey Management Founder, Dental Revenue Network Teresa is a speaker…