NADP-AADOM Collaboration: Success is a Two-Way Street

By Mike Adelberg, NADP Executive Director

Dental benefits carriers and dental offices share many of the same goals: we want patients to receive needed care, understand their coverage, and have confidence in the process. At the same time, we know there can be friction in the relationship, and NADP is making it a priority to identify and address the biggest pain points.

That is why I am pleased to highlight the new collaboration between NADP and the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) designed to strengthen working relationships between dental benefits plans and dental offices. AADOM’s mission is to “educate, connect, and empower dental office managers and practice leaders across North America,” making the collaboration a good match. This aligns well with NADP’s mission to promote access to quality, affordable dental care.

We began the initiative more than a year ago by working with AADOM on a survey of dental office managers covering key areas of dental benefits administration, including claims submission, benefits verification and pre-authorization, credentialing and recredentialing, reimbursement, and customer service. While respondents generally indicated that processes are working, they also pointed to opportunities for improvement.

At NADP’s 2025 CONVERGE, NADP members and an AADOM leader discussed the survey results and identified practical ways the organizations can work together on areas of mutual interest. We officially kicked off our collaboration in June and formed three workgroups made up of members from both organizations. These committees will focus on claims processing, customer service, and virtual credit cards – three areas that frequently affect the day-to-day work of dental office managers and business teams.

The collaboration will be led by a steering committee that will meet quarterly to review progress, coordinate activities across the workgroups, and guide the workgroups. The steering committee includes the NADP and AADOM workgroup co-chairs, along with staff from both organizations. For NADP and AADOM members, the collaboration offers new opportunities for meaningful dialogue, problem-solving, and education on dental plan policies and operations.

NADP also will provide AADOM webinars, newsletter articles, and other practical resources to help dental office managers work more efficiently with dental plans. NADP’s members want to be transparent and greater understanding of claims intake and payment processes will reduce delays and rework. Better customer service pathways can lead to more effective issue resolution and less time spent searching for answers. More consistent information about payment methods, including virtual credit cards, can smooth financial operations, streamline payments, and facilitate better communication with patients.

NADP members also benefit. By working together to streamline claims processing, improve customer service, and simplify payments, dental plans can reduce administrative burdens, minimize delays, and increase accuracy.

The AADOM-NADP collaboration reinforces a simple idea: When dental plans and dental offices work together, everyone wins. While the collaboration is new, the excitement and enthusiasm are high, with both groups eager to make meaningful progress. I look forward to sharing more about the collaboration in future blogs.