Word of Mouth

On Jan. 1, 2024, Sarah Chavarria officially took the helm at Delta Dental of California and affiliates, expanding her role and becoming the organization’s first female Chief Executive Officer. She has an ambitious vision for the future, rethinking how the company takes a seat at the health care table to deliver on its purpose.  

"As I step into my role as CEO, I'm energized about the bright future ahead. We are a purpose-driven organization focused on improving health by providing access to quality care for the millions of members we serve. Together, we will ensure our customers, providers and employees remain at the forefront of our business to improve health outcomes."
 

Sarah’s transformational leadership experience

Sarah was appointed President of Delta Dental in August 2022, where she oversaw all aspects of Operations, Technology, Growth, Marketing, Communications, and People.

She first joined Delta Dental in 2017 as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, and in March 2022, she assumed the role of Chief Operations Officer in addition to her People responsibilities. Sarah brings more than 25 years of expertise in the health care industry and has a strong track record transforming organizations.

“Most of my time at Delta Dental has been focused on how we bring our business through the next decade of growth, reimagine the customer experience and rally our employees around our shared purpose,” Sarah said of her leadership approach. “A big part of that is driving our strong culture of connection, listening, and seeking insights to tell stories and drive change.”
 

Joining hands to increase access to quality care for all

As a health care company with more than 68 years of experience, Delta Dental is in a unique position to lead the way to ensure everyone has access to quality care. Sarah remarks, “We know access to care is more than a pathway to the dentist – it’s about creating a connected experience, in partnership with our providers, to support patients in managing all aspects of their oral health.”

As Sarah looks ahead, she notes, “Our opportunity is to focus on the evolving needs of the patient and how they expect to experience quality care. And while we’ll start with the millions of enrollees we currently serve, the vision is to improve access for all Americans. It’s a lofty ambition that will require many stakeholders coming together with the shared goal of increasing access to care.”