Our Vision, Mission and Values

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Our Origins

Our organization got its start in 1954, when a group of dentists on the West Coast formed a pre-paid dental coverage program to improve access to dental care. This led to the formation of the first non-profit dental service company – Washington Dental Service. Using this approach as a model, Missouri Dental Service was founded a few years later in 1958 to address the oral health crisis that was unfolding in this state due to a lack of access to care.

Delta Dental Plans Association

The programs offered by Missouri Dental Service gradually began to catch on. Originally located in Jefferson City, Missouri Dental Service moved its operations to St. Louis in 1979. As part of the national Delta Dental Plans Association, the organization continued to grow in Missouri, and the name was changed to Delta Dental Plan of Missouri in 1985. Delta Dental of Missouri began offering dental benefits in South Carolina in 1994. The organization today does business as Delta Dental of South Carolina.