> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dso.getlemma.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cigna Dental

> Cigna dental profile: the tiered Total Cigna DPPO / DPPO Advantage networks, the Cigna Dental Care DHMO, CAQH-based credentialing, and Cigna's dedicated DSO channel.

**Cigna Healthcare Dental** is the dental arm of The Cigna Group, running a tiered DPPO (Total Cigna DPPO and the deeper-discount DPPO Advantage) plus a DHMO product. It is one of the few major carriers with a **dedicated DSO credentialing channel**.

Payer portals, forms, IDs, and procedures change frequently. **Timely-filing limits and other participation terms come from the applicable current payer materials and your executed agreement.** Use this page as a starting point, then verify the product, entity, provider, location, and effective date with the payer.

## Who they are

|               |                                                                                                                                  |
| ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Ownership** | The Cigna Group                                                                                                                  |
| **Position**  | Consistently named among the largest US dental carriers alongside Delta Dental, MetLife, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare<sup>1</sup> |
| **Book**      | Employer group dental, DPPO-dominant                                                                                             |

## Networks

| Network                      | Type                   | Notes                                                                                                                |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Total Cigna DPPO**         | DPPO                   | The broad tier                                                                                                       |
| **Cigna DPPO Advantage**     | DPPO (deeper discount) | The tier employers steer to; participating at Advantage rates buys more steerage at a lower fee schedule<sup>2</sup> |
| **Cigna Dental Care (DHMO)** | DHMO, Access network   | Capitation-style product; separate participation from the DPPO<sup>2</sup>                                           |

The tiering is the negotiation-relevant fact: "in network with Cigna" can mean either tier, at materially different allowables. Know which tier each contract signs you into before modeling revenue.

## Enrollment and credentialing

* Credentialing runs through [Cigna's standard process](https://www.cigna.com/health-care-providers/credentialing), leaning on **CAQH** for provider data. Cigna states **30–60 days** average processing for a complete file (carrier-claimed; plan on the long end).<sup>3</sup> See [Set up CAQH](/guides/enrollment/set-up-caqh).
* **DSO channel:** Cigna maintains a dedicated credentialing solution for dental support organizations, described in its [DSO credentialing brochure](https://legacy.cigna.com/hcpemails/dso/credentialing-solutions.pdf); a group adding dentists at volume should ask for that channel rather than filing one-off applications.<sup>3</sup>
* DHMO participation is contracted separately from DPPO.

## Billing notes

* Standard 837D/ADA claim form workflow; confirm the current dental payer ID with your clearinghouse.
* DPPO network-access obligations are documented per state in filed network access plans (example: [West Virginia DPPO network access plan](https://www.cigna.com/static/www-cigna-com/docs/wv-dental-ppo-network-access-plan.pdf)).<sup>2</sup>
* DHMO compensation mechanics (capitation rosters, supplemental payments) differ entirely from DPPO fee-for-service; reconcile them separately in your PMS.

## Sources

1. Mordor Intelligence, [US dental insurance market](https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-states-dental-insurance-market) (secondary; names the consistently cited majors).
2. Cigna, [dental PPO plans](https://www.cigna.com/individuals-families/shop-plans/plans-through-employer/dental-ppo); [WV DPPO network access plan](https://www.cigna.com/static/www-cigna-com/docs/wv-dental-ppo-network-access-plan.pdf).
3. Cigna, [credentialing](https://www.cigna.com/health-care-providers/credentialing); [DSO credentialing solutions brochure](https://legacy.cigna.com/hcpemails/dso/credentialing-solutions.pdf).