General Info for Dentists
Participating Dentists
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Frequently Asked Questions for Dentists
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Will I need to take referrals on as regular patients?
No. Students referred to your office will continue to receive preventive services and exams through Bridging Brighter Smiles and the Verona Smiles initiative. If the student needs future care, they will be referred to whatever office is associated with their school.
Does my office need to get BadgerCare certified?
No. If you choose to see Verona students in your office, you can do it in one of three ways:
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Volunteer care.
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Subcontract via Verona Smiles.
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Get BadgerCare certified and bill the State of Wisconsin directly.
Each office will choose how they want to provide care.
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In addition, dentists will be asked to report care provided via Verona Smiles so outcomes can be tracked and reported. Verona Smiles also intends to bill the BadgerCare program for services provided by Verona Smiles dentists. These revenues will support staffing and care coordination. As such, participating dentists who don’t plan on billing the BadgerCare program directly will be asked to get certified under the umbrella of Verona Smiles. Your office will not be identified as a Medicaid provider. However, if a dentist prefers not to provide their NPI and be certified, they are welcome to do unreported volunteer care.
If I decide to get BadgerCare certification through Verona Smiles, will I be required to see Medicaid patients?
No. Any participation or certification is specific to the Verona Smiles initiative.
Will we provide orthodontics or any other specialty care?
At this point, specialty care is not included. However, for children with emergent or severe needs, Verona Smiles will try to secure any necessary care.
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Help assure that any kid who needs dental care gets it!
Hometown Smiles is a part of More Smiles Wisconsin and works in conjunction with Bridging Brighter Smiles and Seal-A-Smile, as well as committed local schools, dentists, and volunteers.
476
Students given school-based exams with x-rays
(1–2 times during year)
Students diagnosed with treatment needs and referred to local dental offices
235
Approximate total value of all in-school exams, x-rays, and in-office treatments
$133,000+
OUR IMPACT: Hometown Smiles in the 2024-25 School Year
Includes participating La Crosse, WI, and Verona, WI, area schools and volunteers.