Delta Dental of Arizona has established a culture of healthy living, keeping oral health, physical health and financial health as key components of its employee wellness initiatives. Now others are recognizing the state’s leading dental insurer for excellence in worksite wellness.

The Healthy Arizona Worksites Program (HAWP) presented Delta Dental of Arizona with its Gold level award on June 15 during a ceremony celebrating employers that have implemented evidence-based health initiatives to improve the well-being of their employees’, employees’ families and communities.

Delta Dental was among approximately 50 Arizona companies to meet HAWP’s gold eligibility requirements. Gold recipients not only set new goals and implemented programs, but show they have tracked and documented outcomes and behavioral changes.

“We’re a company that’s truly practicing what we preach,” said Jason Neifield, director of human resources at Delta Dental of Arizona. “Healthy worksite programs have been linked to increased productivity and higher morale, in addition to reducing costs associated to health care and absenteeism. We want our associates to like coming to work each day and to feel good—both physically and emotionally—about doing so, so we’re happy to implement programs that focus on the importance of having a healthy mouth, mind and body.”

Delta Dental of Arizona’s efforts to support employee health and wellness include:

  • Paid time off for dental appointments
  • Discounted medical premiums for tobacco-free employees
  • On-site wellness seminars covering topics like stress management, colon cancer screening and nutrition
  • Annual wellness fair with free, on-site biometric screening and flu shots
  • A dedicated and private lactation room with comfortable seating, private refrigerator and reading materials

Learn more about Delta Dental of Arizona’s healthy initiatives and job openings by visiting www.deltadentalaz.com/career.

HAWP is a public health initiative developed through a partnership between the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. This statewide program provides Arizona employers with training, technical assistance, tools and resources to design, implement and evaluate worksite wellness initiatives. For more information, visit www.healthyazworksites.org.