Delta Dental of Arkansas

Delta Dental of Arkansas has branched out beyond dental care. The state’s largest dental benefits administrator, with more than 2,000 employer groups with 1.5 million members, started offering vision benefits in 2007 under the name of Delta Vision. So far Delta Vision has 5,000 subscribers, said Delta Dental’s CEO Ed Choate. Delta Vision hopes to double the number of subscribers next year.

Choate said the nonprofit Delta Dental, which is located in Sherwood, broke into the vision area as a way to grow. It also unveiled in January 2007 a dental product for nursing home patients. “We have a fairly deep market penetration,” Choate said, “so just the ability to continue to grow at the pace that we’ve been accustomed to growing becomes increasingly challenging.”

In 2005, Delta Dental landed the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville account that went up for bid. And on Jan. 1, Delta Dental added Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale as a client. Delta Dental’s revenue has been climbing. In 2003, its revenue was $165 million. It jumped from $257 million in 2006 to $273 million last year.

Choate attributes the growth to “providing excellent service to our customer along with a low-cost, efficient delivery of the product.” He also said Delta Dental, with 165 employees, has been active in the community. In 2007, it donated more than $560,000 to fund projects tied to improving oral health. It also financed the first “Mission of Mercy,” a two-day free dental clinic in Little Rock that treated more than 1,500 uninsured Arkansans. Choate said Delta Dental again will be a part of the Mission of Mercy in May.

“We feel we have a duty and a responsibility to take a portion of the proceeds that we earn by doing business and contribute them back to the community,” Choate said.