Details of Monroe County’s new dental network card program were released Tuesday.

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Monroe County teamed up with Health Economics Group, Inc. to act as a bulk dental benefit plan purchaser. County Executive Maggie Brooks said that gives people who are uninsured or who don't have dental benefits the option of buying the dental card for $36.50 per person per year, or $52 a year for family coverage.

The card will give residents who take part in the program access to more than 100,000 dentists nationwide in the DenteMax network. It will save residents between 30 and 35-percent on routine visits.

The average cleaning and exam for example, costs $105. The dental card brings the cost of that visit down to about $74.

"This plan I think, for the community, is gonna be a tremendous benefit. Of course access and lower cost being key issues and just being able to find a dentist in a quicker fashion than they normally could otherwise," Dr. Joel Carangelo, D.D.S., said.

Steve Hooper, president of Health Economics Group, Inc., estimates that between 30 to 40 percent of county residents do not have dental coverage. He’s expecting several thousand people will take advantage of the new program.

Monroe County Dental Network Card Program