Our History
Decades ago, a small group of trustees, citizens and dentists set out to revolutionize oral health care. We developed a pilot program to help give longshoremen’s children access to dental care. It wasn’t expected to last a year. Instead we pioneered a new industry – dental benefits
How it started
The International Longshoreman’s and Warehouseman’s Union’s Welfare Fund work with local dentists to create a pre-paid dental care plan for members’ children.
We name our company Washington State Dental Services Corporation and rent a one-room office from the Washington State Dental Association in downtown Seattle.
We join with 2 other dental benefit companies in Oregon and California to start the Delta Dental Plans Association.
We offer the first pre-paid dental plans to groups of 12 or more employees.
We welcome 52 new client groups, including: Boeing, Washington Education Association, the cities of Seattle and Tacoma, and King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
We publish the first study showing prepaid dental service subscribers visit the dentist more often, receive more preventive care and have less need for extractions and dentures.
We open our 2nd office in Spokane.
Dental benefits become a standard element in employee benefits packages.
The Washington Dental Services Foundation is born. Our joint missions are to improve the oral and overall health of people in Washington.
The SmileMobile hits the road! Since then it’s travelled over 100,000 miles and provided dental care to 44,000+ children and families.
We endow $2 million to the UW School of Dentistry to help teach essential business skills to dental students.
We open our customer service center in Colville, Washington keeping jobs in our state.
We make a $5 million grant and partner with the University of Washington School of Dentistry, our Foundation and Seattle Children’s Hospital to open the Center for Pediatric Dentistry. This unique facility focuses on serving children with special needs.
We change our name to Delta Dental of Washington and establish a holding company named Washington Dental Services.
Washington state leads the US in delivery of oral health preventive services to low-income children – a direct result of our Foundation’s work.
We partner with the Seattle Center Foundation to support the Seattle / King County free dental clinic held in Key Arena over 4 days. Since 2014 the annual clinics have served more than 23,000 people who face challenges accessing dental health services.
But Wait, There's More!
Policy win for our Foundation and partners: Apple Health adult dental program is restored reaching 850,000 low-income families.
We make a $2 million grant to equip the Dental Education Center at NeighborCare’s clinic in the Pacific Tower. The Foundation reaches a milestone, by providing oral health training to over 40% of physicians who serve children.
Our foundation changes its name to Arcora Foundation, highlighting our goal to bend the arc of oral health towards equity.
The Tooth Fairy Experience is born! Our team of diverse Tooth Fairies visit children throughout Washington, teaching healthy oral health habits, with a bit of magic mixed in.
We work to support our employees, communities, members and dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Our combined COVID-19 relief efforts reach $1.1 billion.
How it's going
We reach 3+ million subscribers nationwide.
