Capitation dentistry: incentives and implications.

Abstract

Capitation is an incentive-based form of payment for dental care. Unlike fee-for-service benefit plans, the nature of reimbursement in capitation plans provide dentists with the necessary incentives to perform appropriate and necessary level of care, seek less costly but effective alternatives, and place an emphasis on prevention. This paper examined how some of these incentives work and their effects on the practice of dentistry.