Will a Centralized Credentialing Platform Bring Value to the Dental Plan Industry?
Wednesday, September 30
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM (ET)
Provider credentialing remains one of the most resource-intensive administrative functions for dental plans, providers, and network partners. As the industry seeks greater efficiency, consistency, and transparency, interest in centralized credentialing platforms continues to grow. But can a single solution effectively meet the needs of all stakeholders? This session will examine the potential benefits and challenges of centralized credentialing models and explore whether they can streamline workflows, reduce administrative burden, improve data accuracy, and accelerate provider onboarding. Panelists will discuss the role these platforms may play in supporting delegated credentialing, regulatory compliance, network adequacy requirements, and collaboration between plans, providers, and credentialing organizations. Attendees will gain insights into the current credentialing landscape, emerging technologies and approaches, implementation considerations, and the factors organizations should evaluate when assessing whether a centralized credentialing platform can deliver meaningful value to their business and the broader dental benefits ecosystem.
Dr. Lauren E. Gritzer (moderator)
Director of Dental Informatics and Plan Operations
National Association of Dental Plans
Lauren E. Gritzer, DDS, MPH, is Director of Dental Informatics and Plan Operations at the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP), where she leads initiatives focused on advancing data infrastructure, operational excellence, and interoperability across the dental benefits industry. She is the first dentist to serve in a permanent staff role at NADP. A dental public health specialist, Dr. Gritzer brings expertise in dental informatics, quality improvement, value-based care, and healthcare transformation. Her work has focused on strengthening prevention infrastructure, supporting workforce development, and advancing medical-dental integration through data-driven strategies. Prior to joining NADP, she led evaluation and performance reporting efforts for multisite oral health initiatives serving underserved communities and dental health professional shortage areas. Dr. Gritzer has also supported statewide implementation of value-based care transformation initiatives for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), collaborating with hundreds of ambulatory medical providers to improve quality measurement, reporting systems, and patient-centered care delivery. In her role at NADP, Dr. Gritzer works to help organizations turn data into actionable insights that improve decision-making, streamline operations, reduce inefficiencies, and strengthen collaboration across the dental benefits ecosystem. She also facilitates NADP’s Plan Operations and Electronic Data Interchange WorkGroups. Dr. Gritzer earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and Master of Public Health degree and is passionate about leveraging informatics and innovation to advance more coordinated, effective, and equitable oral health care.
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