DDOK Introduces New “Prevent•efits” Oral Wellness Initiative     Campaign to encourage preventive care among non-utilizers Delta Dental of Oklahoma’s Oral Health Division has recently developed Prevent•efits, a new oral wellness initiative aimed at improving the overall oral health of our members by promoting preventive care, specifically cleanings and examinations, before more serious dental problems develop. “Serving as our members’ guide to oral health is something we really take to heart at Delta Dental,” said John Gladden, President and CEO of Delta Dental of Oklahoma. “For a number of reasons, many members do not take advantage of their basic preventive dental benefits and put themselves at risk for more serious oral health issues. With Prevent•efits, we are proactively communicating the importance of regular dental cleanings and exams.”   DDOK Introducing New Benefits Program for 2012!     Delta Dental PPO – Choice Advantage to Provide Additional Services and Savings As the oldest, largest and leading not-for-profit dental carrier in the state and nationwide, we focus on one thing - dental. On an annual basis, we review our product offerings to ensure they are in keeping with our clients’ needs and cost requirements. This is especially important given the current economic conditions and increasingly competitive marketplace. Our newest product offering for 2012 is Delta Dental PPO – Choice Advantage. This program is being offered on a group and individual/family basis.

Customer Service Change Promotes Enhanced DDOK     Experience
	As part of the ongoing effort to enhance our services, products and customer care by creating a more memorable experience for our constituents, Delta Dental of Oklahoma has changed the way calls are handled. Now, incoming calls are not automatically answered by an automated system. Instead, callers are immediately connected to a live customer service representative. During brief periods when all representatives are busy, members may choose to use the automated system for their benefits and claims questions, or they have the option to hold for the next available representative.
New Spotlight Feature Helps DDOK Members Track     Dental History
	Delta Dental of Oklahoma has added a new “View My Tooth History” page to its Spotlight website. The interactive feature allows members to view a graphical representation of their teeth and display information about past dental work on a tooth-by-tooth basis. DDOK claims data from the past 7 years is included in the tooth history. Members can click on an individual tooth to display the type of work completed on that tooth, the date of service, the provider’s name, and the billing information related to the treatment. The new feature allows enrollees to keep track of their dental history with information displayed in an easy-to-understand format.
Delta Dental Receives Readers’ Choice Award from Benefits     Selling Magazine
	Delta Dental, the nation’s largest dental benefits provider, again received the Readers’ Choice Award as the best dental carrier from Benefits Selling magazine. Benefits Selling saw record participation by nearly 1,000 brokers in its seventh annual survey which will be published in the November issue and available in early December. This is the third consecutive year (sixth overall) that Delta Dental was selected the “carrier that offers the best dental coverage.”
Report Shows Delta Dental’s Networks Remain Strong
	A new report by NetMinder shows that the Delta Dental PPO and Delta Dental Premier networks continue to grow. We have one of the largest PPO networks in the nation. Additionally, our Delta Dental Premier network has more than two thirds of the nation’s dentists. By offering the nation’s only dual network, Delta Dental subscribers have the greatest access to participating dentists.
When Should Kids Have Their First Dental Visits?
	Most American children don’t see their family dentist until they are over three years old, far later than is recommended by both dental and medical professionals. That’s one of the key findings from a survey of American children’s oral health, conducted on behalf of Delta Dental Plans Association, the nation’s leading dental benefits provider. The survey revealed that for those children ages 1 to 11 who had seen a dentist, the average age at the initial visit was 3.1 years. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that a child go to the dentist by age one or within six months after the first tooth erupts. Nearly half of children under age three in this survey had never been to the dentist.
DDOK Oral Health Foundation Scholarships Presented to 11 OU College of Dentistry Students     The Delta Dental of Oklahoma Oral Health Foundation today announced the 2011 recipients of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry Scholarship Fund. Each of the 11 recipients was awarded a $5,000 scholarship. The foundation’s annual scholarship fund was established in 2001 to encourage future enrollment in the OU College of Dentistry, and to help address a projected shortage of dentists in Oklahoma over the next 15 years. Oklahoma currently has an estimated 41 dentists per 100,000 people - the national average is 58 per 100,000.