November & December 2006 Newsletter
What´s New at Savon
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In every newsletter you will find a secret word or phrase. When you locate the word or phrase, copy the entire paragraph and paste it into an email along with your Savon membership ID number and your name.
Send the email to customerservice@savondentalplan.com. The emails will be printed and the winning entry will be drawn on the 15th of the following month. All entries must be received by the 10th of the month (July 10th for Junes newsletter, etc.). The winning entry will receive a check from Savon for $25.00. Only one entry per family is allowed and you may only win once per 12 months. The secret phrase for November and December is Human element.
Quote of the Month: "Too bad the only people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs and cutting hair." George Burns
Cohen's Corner - Straight talk from the Doctor
SO MY TEETH ARE REALLY CONNECTED TO THE REST OF MY BODY!!
Studies for the last few years have shown a definite connection between periodontal ("gum") disease, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Diseases of the oral cavity, such as periodontal disease and its part in the overall general health of the individual have been reported in the literature for many years including the 2000 Surgeon General's Report on "Oral Health in America."
As we talked about in an earlier Cohen's Corner (June 2006), periodontal disease is one of the most common and wide spread diseases in the world. It is estimated that about one out of ten adults, and after the age of 50; one out of every three adults have periodontal disease. In late middle age, when cardiovascular disease and stroke are prevalent we also find a prevalence of periodontal disease. One of the detrimental side effects of periodontal disease is a presence of bacteria in the blood stream. These bacteria may represent a very large risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction (heart attack), and stroke.
In a 2001 conference of clinical experts in oral infections and systemic diseases the new and growing science relating periodontal disease to systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and stroke were discussed.
Although in an article entitled, "Periodontal disease and the risk of Cardiovascular (weakening of the arterial walls that can lead to a stroke) disease" it was found that there was not a large association between Periodontics and stroke, the jury is still out on this one. The researchers discussed the limitations of the First National Health and Nutrition's Examination Survey on periodontal assessments as "quite crude as compared with assessments in more recent studies." They concluded that this poor technique in gathering information could have resulted in a very flawed conclusion to the study of the interaction of periodontal disease in its relationship to stroke. The outcome of these first generation studies on the possible connection of infection with periodontal bacteria and the inflammatory systemic interaction needs further and more controlled studies.
In 2002 this issue was re-addressed and it was found that there is in fact a link between periodontal disease, heart disease, and stroke.
To summarize, science and research is now pointing to a direct relationship of periodontal disease to heart disease and stroke. With an estimated periodontal disease rate of 33% of the people over the age of 50 and the large numbers of people that die each year from stroke and cardiovascular disease, these findings could have a profound outcome on the treatment of stroke and cardiovascular disease. As science has now shown, in case there was ever any question about it, yes, your teeth are connected to the rest of your body.
In closing out this last 'Cohen's Corner" of the year, me and my whole staff at Savon Dental Plan wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season.
Remember, we are here to make your understanding and use of dental services as easy and affordable as possible. We pride ourselves on the services we offer you to help keep your oral health in the best of care. We look forward to another great year in 2007 of serving you as we continue to expand Savon Dental Plan, America's Dental Plan throughout the nation.
Have a happy and prosperous New Year! Dr. Bruce Cohen
Congratulations to Raul Vasquez of Prescott, Az
Winner of our October T. V. Drawing
Mr. Raul Vasquez was the winner of the October TV give away. Although Mr. Vasquez was very happy to have won, he did not really want to be quoted in the newsletter, except to say THANKS!!
Because this is the last newsletter for 2006, the winner of the November and December drawing will be announced in the January 2007 newsletter.
Savon's Commitment to Customer Service
In the 14 years since we began serving the Arizona community, the times have changed tenfold!
We have watched the rise of the evolution of cyber-communication, e-commerce and automated phone systems, and more and more, companies have placed their patrons in the hands of these electronic representatives!
Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't admit to a certain level of conformity...alas, we've built a fully-functional, interactive website where current members and prospective members alike can read about us, compare our prices to other plans, enroll, renew their memberships, and send us email at the touch of a button! We are revising and updating our website daily, to optimize the accessibility and interactive aspects of the site and to make your online experience as pleasant and informative as possible.
For many, this is an important convenience, and for those who prefer it, it is a state of the art, up to date and user friendly tool. For others, however, it can be a frustrating endeavor. That is why we have left the one key element to our customer service commitment in place. The HUMAN element. Savon is and has always been committed to customer service. It is our belief that a member has the right to expect to be able to speak with someone if they choose, and to have an issue resolved in a timely manner.
We have made many changes to our company in recent months and have implemented new ideas in the areas of customer service. We have departmentalized, which for you, the member, means that you won't be passed from person to person if you call with a question or problem,or simply to update your personal information. We have formed a committee to help resolve the more difficult issues (though rare).
A couple of things to remember if you are calling Savon Dental Plan with questions regarding fees or differences of opinion:
- a) Due to the HIPAA Laws we are not able to obtain your dental records, treatment plans or payment history from your dental provider without your written consent!!!! In most cases, it is easier for the member to request this information from the doctor and forward it to Savon.
- b) We (Savon) are not able to intervene in matters of professional opinion. If you disagree with a doctors diagnosis, we can advise you as to how to seek a second opinion, but we cannot argue with a dentist on your behalf regarding his diagnosis.
- Please feel free to call our customer service number (602) 841-3494 or Toll free (800) 809-3494 and remember when calling to have your membership ID # handy!
Note: Our hours of operation have changed!!
We are now open Monday-Thursday from 9AM to 5PM, and Friday from 9AM to 1PM, MST.
Thank you for your continued trust in Savon Dental Plan!
Have a safe, happy holidays and a healthy, happy New Year!! Corilee
A Message from Account Retention
Well it is that time of year again when the Holidays are approaching and money is tight. I just want to share with you a few reasons why you should not let your dental coverage lapse.
Right now you are locked into a rate that will not change as long as you remain an active member.
A toothache seems to happen when you least expect them. If your plan is canceled and you are unable to reach Savon Dental Plan it will end up costing you more to go to the dentist then if you had your Savon coverage.
If you have kids we all know accidents can happen at any time. You may call up to reinstate your plan, however if billing is not available there may be a waiting period until your coverage begins again.
So even though you may think 'I don't need this right now', we all pay for car insurance and most never use it but at least we are covered if we need it.
If you are unable to pay the full amount you can pay half of your membership now and you will be billed for the remainder in forty-five days. If you need additional time please call in to our office and I would be happy to assist you.
Thank you and Happy Holidays! Jennifer
What's New In Marketing?
In case you didn't know, Savon has been marketing nation-wide for over 18 months now.
The response we've have gotten has been great; however, it is no where near it's true potential. In an effort to achieve our goal and make Savon a household name, we've have made some changes in the way we market the plan.
The first change we made was strictly internal. We have departmentalized most of the tasks that keep Savon running on a daily basis; therefore implementing the essence of teamwork and, in turn, boosting our productivity.
What does this mean for Marketing? By organizing the way things work on the inside, it has given us the time to really focus on what we look like on the outside.
Although we advertise on television, in the newspaper, in the phone book, and various other ways, Savon has only dipped its fingers in advertising on the Internet.
Until recently, that is... We have hit the Internet, hard, directing most of our ads nation-wide, doing what we can to spread the word! We are excited to see the volume of leads this has generated for us and we will definitely keep you posted on our success!
If you are looking for a great full or part time business, Savon offers great moneymaking opportunities by becoming an agent. There is NO COST to become an agent and this IS NOT multi-level marketing.
At this time we are interested in agents from Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
If you are interested, please contact anyone in the Sales/Marketing Department at 1-800-809-3494.
Thank you for your continued trust and referrals and have a SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Meri
From the Director of Savon to You
Well, another year is almost gone and I just couldn't let it go without saying THANK YOU to all of the wonderful members of our plan. As I was going over the listing of members, I must say that I was really impressed by the length of time that some of you have been part of the Savon family.
However, it doesn't matter if you have been a member for 15 years or 15 days, our goal is the same for everyone:
TO PROVIDE OUR MEMBERS QUALITY DENTAL AT A FEE THAT IS FAIR TO OUR MEMBERS AND OUR PROVIDERS!!
Our members have spoke and we have listened. Due to the large number of requests, Savon started moving nationwide about 18 months ago. As you have read in the previous articles, our team members are really excited and they are working extremely hard to service you, our current members and develop new members nationwide.
As our Director of fulfillment said, "We must make sure that no matter how much we automate we never lose the human element". At Savon, we treat our members like people with teeth not teeth with people. If you experience any type of a problem with the plan or any provider, PLEASE call us. Your call is not considered a complaint, it is an opportunity for us to service your needs and that is what we are all about.
Please continue to check back here on a regular basis because we have new and exciting changes in store for the website.
Have a Wonderful, Safe Holiday and Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year!! Clayton Parker
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