Delta Dental - company profile

As the first company to specialize in dental benefits, we are passionate about oral health and its importance to future generations. Our core purpose is the advancement of oral health care to our customers, partners and consumers through the dental benefits programs and philanthropic efforts of our 39 independent member companies.

Our History of Dental Benefits Expertise

In 1954, dentists who recognized the need to increase access to oral health care formed dental service organizations in California, Oregon and Washington. Led by Washington Dental Service (WDS), we began to create the future definition of dental benefits with employee benefits programs for organized labor unions.

In 1966, these local organizations joined in the creation of Delta Dental Plans Association in order to coordinate dental benefits programs for customers with employees in multiple states. A year later, WDS partnered with the International Association of Machinists, creating the first multi-state dental benefits program and beginning a cycle of continued growth and expansion for Delta Dental.

To meet the needs of clients with out-of-state subscribers, WDS worked with other Delta Dental member companies and Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association members, continuing to serve its clients this way through the late 1980’s.

When Delta Dental of California was chosen as the dental benefits carrier for the Office of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (OCHAMPUS) program, other Delta Dental member companies agreed to share their dentist data in order to centralize the administration of this large account. This change resulted in the creation of the National Provider File (NPF), and the establishment in 1990 of DeltaUSA—the company responsible for overseeing our dentist data and enabling the administration of national business.

Today, Delta Dental Plans Association is comprised of 39 independent Delta Dental member companies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. And, as the largest and most experienced dental benefits carrier in the country, we provide coverage to more than 59.5 million people enrolled in more than 97,000 groups.

Our Continued Commitment to Improving Oral Health

In our efforts to ensure that every American can enjoy a healthy smile, Delta Dental remains committed to:

• Expanding access to oral health care
• Leveraging our dental benefits expertise to provide access to the highest quality care
• Providing dependable service that responds quickly to the needs of our customers
• Ensuring access to the most extensive network of dentists in the country
• Keeping dental benefits affordable through unique cost-control measures
• Offering all the innovation, service and multi-state networks of a national dental benefits carrier
• Understanding the unique oral health challenges and needs of your community
• Utilizing the tools and technology that make it easy to do business with us
• Advancing oral health by giving back to the communities we serve