Delta Dental of California is the largest dental insurance company insuring nearly 15 million people and generating $2.7 billion in revenues in 1999. It is part of an affilliation of Delta Dental companies covering all 50 states with 40 million insured. This is a big insurance conglomerate.

Delta Dental is also a strong advocate of water fluoridation and often makes large financial grants to communities in order to help motivate them to fluoridate.

Their position advocates water fluoridation, regardless of how much fluoride a person receives from other sources, such as food and beverages made with fluoridated water. Too much fluoride causes fluorosis, unsightly white and brown spots on teeth. The cause of fluorosis is undisputed.

In typical mega-billion dollar insurance company fashion, if you follow their advice and your teeth are damaged due to fluoride, they won't pay for required dental care.

In additional to negative health issues, here are the financial costs to people. Here's a true story.

"My father's job provided us with Delta Dental Insurance, who were quick to advocate fluoride treatments for me as a child, but refused to pay for any veneers or caps when I was a teen because they were considered 'cosmetic'.

When I finally had six caps put on, my parents had to pay the thousands of dollars out of their own pockets. And when those caps need replacing, every ten years, I will be the one paying for them, regardless of whether I can afford it." [read the entire letter]

Here's a newspaper report of how the insurance company tries to influence communities by offering quick money.

More than half the people filling the council chambers erupted in cheers and applause Tuesday night after a 4-3 vote rejected a $450,000 grant to help pay for putting the substance in city water as an agent to fight tooth decay.

"We'll take our money somewhere else," said Dr. Spencer Jilek, a dentist in Pasco and a member of the board of the Washington Dental Service Foundation.

The mayor also resented being given a Feb. 15 deadline by the foundation to accept the grant. "If you were really concerned about health you'd give more than two weeks," he said. [see full article]

At a recent water fluoridation debate in northern California, Delta Dental sent a representative to advocate the the practice of fluoridation.