Current Structure
The Delta Dental system's mandate is to increase the future definition of dental benefits to improve access to dental care. It does this by encouraging the expansion of dental benefit programs administered through their 39 member companies. Delta Dental provides the means for these service corporations to cooperate in the provision of multi-state and national group dental coverage.
The headquarters of a company dictates which Delta Dental member company will provide insurance for that company. While there are only 39 member companies, every state is covered by a member company. For instance, one of the larger member companies, Delta Dental Insurance Company (DDIC), provides coverage for Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Texas, and Utah. DDIC is also affiliated with Delta Dental of California, giving them a total coverage area of 16 states and the District of Columbia. The size of a member company varies a great deal, with the largest in the thousands of employees, down to the smallest with tens of employees.
While the member companies are individual and very independent companies, there is an association they all belong to called Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA). This association is incorporated as a trade association. DDPA does not function as a corporate headquarters. It is a coordinating body that provides a number of services that multiple plans need as well as directing inquiries to the appropriate Delta Dental member company. DDPA is a very small company of about 30 people out of Oak Brook, IL. It is not to be confused with Delta Dental of Illinois, which has 120+ people and is based in Lisle, IL. DDPA manages the Delta Dental brand, helps organize meetings, ties all the member companies together and allows them to price claims in other states. The National Provider File (NPF) allows these localized companies to write national business. This allows a subscriber to go to any provider signed up with the Delta Dental system throughout the country.
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