> ## 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.

# Guardian

> Guardian dental profile: the group-benefits carrier's DPPO and DHMO networks, its 130,000+ provider count, and the Avesis government-programs arm.

**Guardian** (The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America) is a group-benefits carrier whose dental network counts **130,000+ providers** (company-reported). Its distinctive structural fact: Guardian owns **Avesis**, a government-programs administrator. So a group may encounter Guardian twice, as a commercial carrier and behind a Medicaid MCO's dental benefit.

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**      | Guardian Life, a mutual insurer                                                                                                       |
| **Network size**   | 130,000+ dental providers (company-reported)<sup>1</sup>                                                                              |
| **Book**           | Employer group dental; DPPO and DHMO                                                                                                  |
| **Government arm** | Owns **Avesis**, administering dental/vision/hearing for roughly 3 million Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare Advantage members<sup>2</sup> |

## Networks

| Line          | Type                | Notes                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------- | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Guardian DPPO | DPPO                | The main commercial network                                                                                                                |
| Guardian DHMO | DHMO                | Marketed as Managed DentalGuard in filings; the consumer site does not name the network<sup>1</sup>                                        |
| **Avesis**    | Government programs | Typically a subcontractor to medical MCOs; the Avesis contract, portal, and fee schedule are separate from commercial Guardian<sup>2</sup> |

The Avesis point matters operationally: participation in Guardian's commercial DPPO does not put you in an Avesis Medicaid network, and vice versa. Each is its own enrollment.

## Enrollment and credentialing

* Commercial dental participation starts from [guardianlife.com/dental-insurance](https://www.guardianlife.com/dental-insurance) and Guardian's provider channels.<sup>1</sup>
* Avesis provider enrollment runs separately at [myavesis.com/providers](https://myavesis.com/providers/). When Avesis subcontracts for a medical MCO, use the applicable MCO provider manual, such as the Humana-CareSource Kentucky Medicaid manual.<sup>2</sup>
* Keep CAQH current. See [Set up CAQH](/guides/enrollment/set-up-caqh).

## Billing notes

* Standard 837D/ADA claim form workflow for commercial claims; confirm payer IDs with your clearinghouse.
* Avesis claims follow the Avesis (or host MCO) portal, fee schedule, and preauthorization rules; Medicaid dental mechanics, not commercial ones. See [Enroll in Medicaid](/guides/enrollment/enroll-in-medicaid).
* Timely filing is contract-specific. Verify against your executed agreement.

## Sources

1. Guardian, [dental insurance](https://www.guardianlife.com/dental-insurance) (company-reported network size).
2. Employee Benefit News, [Guardian boosts vision, dental business with Avesis buy](https://www.benefitnews.com/news/guardian-boosts-vision-dental-business-with-avesis-buy); Avesis, [providers](https://myavesis.com/providers/); Humana-CareSource Kentucky Medicaid [Avesis provider manual](https://www.caresource.com/documents/ky-hucp0-1340-avesis-humanacaresource-kentucky-medicaid-provider-manual_-final/).