Delta Dental of Arkansas

Saturday was #InternationalWomensDay, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Or just any day at Delta Dental of Arkansas. . . Because we don't just talk about empowering women in the workplace--we put it into action. Every. Single. Day. Women make up 50% of our senior leadership team, including our President and CEO. Meet our power women who make decisions and a difference every day: (from left) Kristin Merlo , President and CEO Deborah Lowtharp Lowtharp, Chief Financial Officer, VP, Finance Katie Lestage Mehdizadegan , VP, General Counsel Jennifer Morales, SHRM-CP , VP, Human Resources #womenlead #womenleaders

“Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” Today, we are deeply grateful for our employees. #EmployeeAppreciationDay You are the heart and soul of everything we do. Your hard work, dedication, passion for the oral health of Arkansans and, of course, your smiles make all the difference. Thank you for all that you do. #ThankyouTeam #BestPlaces

Happy National Dentist Day and thank you for all you do to keep our smiles healthy! We’re especially grateful to these 3 dentists who serve on our corporate Board of Directors (from left): Dr. Ned Alley, DDS, PLLC Dr. Mark Bailey, DDS Dr. Keith Jones of Small Bites Pediatric Dentistry Thank you! #dentist #BoardExcellence #StrategicLeadership

Healthy babies start with healthy moms. But unfortunately, Arkansas ranks near the bottom in maternal health. That’s why today’s Lunch & Learn learn with Dr. Kalena Jones of Baptist Health, was so inspiring. She described Baptist’s 4-tiered approach to improving the health outcomes for moms-to-be and their babies: a new pregnancy clinic for women, regardless of insurance status; home visiting– including a focus on oral health (!); education and resources – with oral hygiene best practices (!), and a new, comprehensive pregnancy app. Today’s event was part of our #BlackHistoryMonth celebrations (slightly delayed because of last month’s winter storm) hosted by our #DEI council. Thank you, Sharon Lanier, Ph.D. and Reponica Hampton and your team for hosting a terrific, enlightening program. #maternalhealth #oralhhealth #innovation

Honoring the best in Arkansas business! Yesterday’s 37th Annual Business of the Year Awards Celebration honored the remarkable leaders, businesses and nonprofits that shape our state’s success. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, and a special salute to Charlie Nabholz of Nabholz Corporation for receiving the Legacy of Leadership Award. Arkansas has an extraordinary business community and we’re proud to serve. Arkansas Business Publishing Group Rhea Lana Riner CARTI Path Fertility Arvest Bank Polyethylene Containers, Inc. Splash Car Wash & Oil Change Whitton Farms ControlTek Morgan Nick Foundation

Celebrating Excellence! ?? Today, we selected our Employee of the Year 2024, Michelle Bugiel, and Employee of the Year – People’s Choice, David Click! ???? We also recognized the outstanding team members who shined as Employees of the Month throughout the year. As our CEO Kristin Merlo put it, these individuals stand out not just for their leadership, but for the smiles they bring to their colleagues every day. This is one of our most cherished traditions, and we’re so proud to honor our incredible team! #EmployeeOfTheYear #Teamwork #CelebratingExcellence

Connecting, learning, and sharing! Our Professional Relations team, Victoria Martin and Briana Sparks, hit the road for several district meetings hosted by the Arkansas Dental Society. From trend reports to great conversations, we loved engaging with dentists, hearing insights, and, of course, handing out some fun swag! #Support #Dentistry #ProfessionalRelations"

We're loving this news about the South: Losing a tooth is still profitable here! While the Tooth Fairy has been tightening her purse strings across the country, Arkansas and other southern states remain an exception. According to the Delta Dental 2025 Original Tooth Fairy Poll?, the South now leads the nation with an average cash gift of $5.71 per tooth, up from $5.51 in 2024—the only area to see an increase this year. How much does the Tooth Fairy leave at your house? More fun info about the value of a lost tooth at https://bit.ly/3DpkChM. #NationalToothFairyDay #NationalKidsDentalHealthMonth

Drop a ??if you've been to our office. This oversized map in our lobby is quite impressive, isn't it? It highlights the Arkansas communities that have benefited from #DeltaDentalARFoundation grants—and we're adding to it all the time! Could your community be next? Apply for one of our five grant programs and help improve oral health where it’s needed most. Applications are accepted year-round. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3sBXLp3. #oralhealth #focusoncommunity #access

It's the last week of #SayNoToCavities, and we thought we'd bring back this video with a previous winner, 6-year-old Emma. She shared on The Vine, THV11, how brushing and flossing every day helped her win a Nintendo Switch OLED a couple of years ago. Whose child or student will be the two 2025 winners? https://bit.ly/3ETu8u3 #nationalchildrensdentalhealthmonth #healthyhabits