Department of Civil Service

Yes, the New York State Dental Plan is now administered by Anthem Blue Cross, effective October 1, 2024. The New York State Dental Plan was previously administered by Emblem Health.

There were no changes to your dental benefits as a result of the change in administrators. To view your current New York State Dental Plan Certificate of Insurance, visit the New York State Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) website at cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits. Choose either New York State Active Employee (NY) or Participating Employer (PE), your group (if applicable), your Plan and "Dental & Vision Benefits."

To find out if your preferred provider participates in the Anthem network, visit anthembluecross.com/nys-dental.

If you are a New York State Dental Plan enrollee, select "New York State Dental Plan" under Search for a Dental Provider. You will be directed to the XPO Dental Complete network where you can search for providers by address, doctor name or specialty type.

If you are a Student Employee Health Plan (SEHP) New York State Dental Plan enrollee, choose "New York State Dental Plan Student Employee Health Plan- SEHP" under Search for a Dental Provider. You will be directed to the XPO Dental Complete network where you can search for providers by address, doctor name or specialty type. You can filter network results or click on the link for "Dental Discount Program Providers" to view providers who may charge you less than their normal fee for services not reimbursed by the SEHP New York State Dental Plan.

There are some situations where a provider may not be listed, so you can also call Anthem's dedicated New York State Dental Plan toll-free number, 1-833-821-1949, to check participating status.

You can complete the New York State Dental Plan Provider Nomination Form available on anthembluecross.com/nys-dental. The completed form can be submitted to the email address listed on the form.

Yes. You can securely log-in to the NYS Dental Plan website at anthembluecross.com/nys-dental. If you currently have active Empire Plan coverage and have previously set up an account with Anthem to view your Hospital Program benefits, you can use your existing username and password. You can view both your Hospital Program benefits and your dental benefits through the same web portal. If you are a new user, you will need your Anthem Dental Plan ID number, which is located on the front of your ID card, to register for an account. Once registered, you will be able to view your dental benefits and eligibility information.

Anthem also has a Sydney Health mobile app that you can download to your phone or tablet. More information is available at anthembluecross.com/nys-dental.

Please call Anthem's dedicated New York State Dental Plan toll-free number at 1-833-821-1949. You can also securely log in to the New York State Dental Plan website at anthembluecross.com/nys-dental or via the Sydney Health mobile app. Click "ID Cards" on the top of the page and then choose the option to print, email, fax, mail or download your current New York State Dental Plan ID card.

For NYS Enrollees:

For Student Employee Health Plan (SEHP) Enrollees:

Yes, Anthem offers Direct Pay policies for eligible members. Individuals can enroll at any time and coverage will be effective on the first of the month following the date they apply. To find out more about available options, visit anthem.com/ny/individual-and-family/dental-insurance.

You should contact the Employee Benefits Division at 1-800-833-4344. If your COBRA plan has expired, or if you want more information about Anthem's Direct Pay policy, please visit anthem.com/ny/individual-and-family/dental-insurance or call the dedicated Anthem NYS Dental Plan toll-free number at 1-833-821-1949.

The dedicated Anthem NYS Dental Plan toll-free number is 1-833-821-1949.

If you are having difficulty finding a participating dental provider near your home address, please reach out to the dedicated Anthem NYS Dental Plan number at 1-833-821-1949 for assistance.