First Dental Health's "New Dental Choice" Offers 15 Million Uninsured Californians Access to High-Quality Care.

California's First and Only Licensed Discount Plan Provides Unprecedented Consumer Protection

SAN DIEGO -- First Dental Health (www.firstdentalhealth.com), one of California's largest dental preferred provider organization networks, today announced the introduction of New Dental Choice (www.newdentalchoice.com), the first, and currently only, licensed discount dental plan in California. New Dental Choice provides the state's 15 million uninsured with convenient access to high-quality dental care at significant savings of 25 to 50 percent on more than 300 dental procedures. New Dental Choice is also an attractive option to the 60% of California's small employers that do not offer dental benefits to their employees. Approximately 7,500 California dentists at more than 13,000 locations participate in the plan.

"With New Dental Choice, the uninsured now have affordable access to the same high quality dentists who care for employees of some of California's largest companies and associations, and they can join with confidence, knowing that the plan complies with the most demanding licensing criteria in the country," said Michael S. Grossman, D.D.S., founder, president and CEO of First Dental Health. "Expanding access to dental care is critically important, because oral health is increasingly linked to serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and low birth weight babies."

The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) asserted regulatory jurisdiction over discount health plans in 2005, requiring discount plans to comply with some of the nation's most stringent and consumer-friendly licensing requirements. The DMHC awarded New Dental Choice the state's first and thus-far only non-insurance health care service plan license.

"Discount health plans can provide a viable alternative to health insurance for many Californians who cannot afford insurance or whose health coverage does not include dental services," said Cindy Ehnes, Director of the California Department of Managed Health Care. "Discount health plans that meet licensing requirements offer strong consumer protections, and providers will also benefit as consumers learn that they can rely on licensed discount health plans to deliver what they advertise."

State licensing ensures that members of New Dental Choice are protected by consumer safeguards that other plans cannot guarantee, including: credentialed dentists; true and verifiable discounts; truth in advertising; and a dispute-resolution process.

New Dental Choice costs members $8.00 per month for individuals or $10.00 per month for families along with a one time administrative fee of $15.00. Unlike health insurance coverage, discount health plan membership involves no deductibles, no annual maximums, no claim forms, no waiting periods, no age limits and no treatment exclusions or savings limitations.

New Dental Choice members simply present their membership card at a participating dentist, and through the power of group purchasing, save one-third to one-half of their dental expenses on a fixed fee schedule for more than 300 procedures including root canals, teeth whitening, regular checkups, orthodontics and dental implants.

About First Dental Health

First Dental Health, one of California's largest dental network management companies with national capabilities, has provided convenient access to affordable dental care from credentialed dentists for over 10 years to more than half a million insured and uninsured Californians. First Dental Health's New Dental Choice is the first and only discount dental plan licensed by the State of California providing individuals with convenient access to high-quality dental care at significant savings.