News and Press Release Archive


For media inquiries, unless otherwise specified, please contact:

Contact Name: Elizabeth Andrews
Telephone number:      603-223-1228
E-mail:
 
 

Northeast Delta Dental Employees Recylce
Over 4,000 Pounds of Used Electronics

Concord, NH:   On June 24, 2008, Northeast Delta Dental held an electronics recycling day at its headquarters in Concord. As part of Delta Dental's Green Initiative, employees were invited to bring in recyclable items from home including fluorescent lamps, batteries, computer monitors, printers, televisions, VCRs, and air conditioners. By the end of the day, Delta Dental employees had recycled more than 4,000 pounds of these materials.

“All of us have unwanted items in our basements and garages,” says Tom Raffio, Delta Dental's President & CEO. “Many have environmental issues, so they should be disposed of with care. Given Delta Dental's corporate commitment to sustainability, we decided that the easiest and most effective way to dispose of items with unique recycling issues would be to encourage employees to bring them to work. We assured them that we would dispose of them properly.”

Disposition and recycling were handled by the Institution Recycling Network (IRN) of Concord, which works on recycling issues with organizations throughout New England. The items brought in by Delta Dental employees were sorted and separated to go the appropriate recycler. According IRN's COO Dana Draper, most people are unaware that these items have to be handled carefully and separately. Says Draper, “Computer monitors and TVs are a concern because of their lead content and go to a recycler who specializes in electronics. Fluorescents and flat screen TVs and monitors contain mercury; they go to another specialized recycler. Rechargeable batteries contain a variety of toxic materials. Air conditioners contain refrigerants that can deplete the ozone layer and must be removed by a licensed technician.”

According to Northeast Delta Dental's Joe Kasper, Director of Corporate Services, the day went like clockwork. “IRN's truck was here at 2:00 p.m. after the last of the items were placed in the collection pile; and, within one hour, their truck was gone. Hundreds of pieces of used electronics, lights, air conditioners, and other items were saved from disposal, at a cost that was pretty minimal to Delta Dental. It's the kind of event that says good things about our company and our employees, and it's something that companies could replicate.”

About the IRN:   The Institution Recycling Network is a cooperative recycling organization that works with over 200 public, institutional, and private sector organizations to improve the performance and economics of their recycling programs. The IRN negotiates for transportation, processing, and marketing of recycled commodities using the collective strength of its member organizations, and provides a single point of contact to recycle dozens of different materials. The IRN handles over 75 commodities – everything from cardboard and fluorescent lamps to concrete and Astroturf. The IRN is particularly known for its effective recycling of unusual or complex commodities such as electronic equipment, construction and demolition wastes, and surplus property.

100% Recycled Paper Selected for 2007 Annual Report

Concord, New Hampshire: Northeast Delta Dental announces that its 2007 Annual Report is printed on 100% recycled FSC certified paper. Monadnock Paper Mills in Bennington, New Hampshire, milled the paper and sold it to RAM Printing, in East Kingston, New Hampshire, which printed the annual report using vegetable–based ink. Both group customers have been recognized for their environmentally friendly practices.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was created to change the dialogue about, and the practice of, sustainable forestry worldwide. By selecting papers that have been certified by the FSC, we confirm our support of the highest social and environmental standards in the market where we use paper and demonstrates our commitment to responsible forest management. To learn more, visit the Forest Stewardship Council's website at www.fsc.org

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 700,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont and offers dental benefit programs for individuals and businesses of all sizes.

Northeast Delta Dental Ranked for Fifth Year as One of America's Best Small Companies
Northeast Delta Dental Accepts Best Company Award
From left to right: Northeast Delta Dental Sr. V.P., Operations, William Lambrukos
SHRM President and CEO, Susan Meisinger
Northeast Delta Dental V.P., Human Resources, Connie Roy–Czyzwoski, SPHR, CCP
Northeast Delta Dental, Human Resources Specialist, Catherine Reid

Concord, New Hampshire: Northeast Delta Dental was named one of the 25 Best Small Companies to Work for in America for a fifth consecutive year. The list of the 50 Best Small & Medium Companies was announced at the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) 60th Annual Conference & Exposition in Chicago.

Now in its fifth year, this annual list ranks the best 25 small and 25 medium–sized companies in the country. Great Place to Work® Institute (GPTW) selected and ranked the organizations, which range in size from 50–to–999 employees. Ranking is based two–thirds on the results of an employee opinion survey on workplace culture. The remaining one–third is based on the Institute's evaluation of five areas: credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and camaraderie.

“Top U.S. companies succeed by using smart people–management strategies to develop highly productive and satisfied workforces,” said SHRM President and CEO Susan R. Meisinger. “Particularly in times of economic instability, knowing how to best manage your employees is an essential part of keeping productivity high and your organization open for business. That's why these winners deserve our applause, now more than ever.”

Northeast Delta Dental administers the dental benefits of over 700,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont and offers dental programs for individuals and businesses of all sizes.

SHRM is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management and Great Place to Work® Institute, Inc. is an international research and consulting firm dedicated to building great workplaces.

Delta Dental Plan of Vermont Adds New Trustee

Burlington, Vermont: Delta Dental Plan of Vermont announces the election of a new Trustee, Paula L. Cope, M.Ed., P.T. Cope is the President and Founder of Cope & Associates, Inc., a Burlington management consulting and training firm established in 1991. Cope has a long history of civic involvement, including currently serving on the Board of United Way of Chittenden County.

Delta Dental Plan of Vermont is one of three Delta Dental Plans doing business jointly as Northeast Delta Dental, with corporate headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire, and a sales office in Burlington. Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 690,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Delta Dental Plan of New Hampshire announces the election of three new Directors

Concord, New Hampshire: Delta Dental Plan of New Hampshire announces the election of three new Directors: J. Michael Degnan, Seth P. Wall, and Susan A. Woods.

Degnan is the co–founder and president of Helms & Company, Inc., of Concord. Wall is Executive Director of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at the Manchester campus. Woods is a Principal at Chartworth, LLC and works out of Manchester.

Delta Dental Plan of New Hampshire is one of three Delta Dental Plans doing business jointly as Northeast Delta Dental, which administers dental benefits to over 690,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Delta Dental Plan of Maine announces the election of three new Directors

Saco, Maine: Delta Dental Plan of Maine announces the election of three new Directors: David L. Bagdasarian, DDS; Michael Pardue; and Barry C. Saltz, DDS.

Dr. Bagdasarian and Dr. Saltz both practice General Dentistry in Portland. Dr. Bagdasarian practices at North Deering Dental Associates, P.A. Dr. Saltz practices under the name of Barry C. Saltz, DDS, P.A. and Comprehensive Family Dentistry, P.A.

Mr. Pardue is the President of Central Intelligence, a Kennebunk–based firm specializing in providing investigative and management consulting services to public and private sector employees, and Interim Management Services of New England, a firm dedicated to providing interim, and executive level, management services to both government and corporate entities. All three new board members belong to professional societies and are active in their communities.

Delta Dental Plan of Maine is one of three Delta Dental Plans doing business jointly as Northeast Delta Dental, with corporate headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire, and a sales office in Saco. Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 690,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Northeast Delta Dental Foundation Supports Maine Oral Health Programs

Concord, NH: Northeast Delta Dental Foundation contributed over $60,000 in 2007 to the success of oral health programs in Maine. For a second year, it provided funding to Oral Health America's Smiles Across America Maine, which provides in-school sealants and fluoride treatments in Portland, Aroostook County, and Machias. B Street Health Center (Lewiston), Community Dental (Lewiston), Eastport Health Center, Islands Community Medical Services (Vinalhaven, Manticus, and North Haven) and the Root Cellar Free Dental Clinic (Portland) are all clinics that received grants for either dental equipment or supplies. Northeast Delta Dental Foundation also provided financial support for the maintenance of the Washington County Children's Program Tooth Ferry van and additional dental assistants on the van.

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 690,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and offer programs for individuals and for businesses of all sizes. Its Maine sales office is located in Saco.

Northeast Delta Dental Foundation Supports New Hampshire Oral Health Programs

Concord, NH: Northeast Delta Dental Foundation announces that in 2007 it contributed nearly $87,000 to the success of oral health programs in New Hampshire.

Ammonoosuc Community Health Services (Franconia), Avis Goodwin community Health Center (Dover), Concord Dental Sealant Coalition, Coos County Family Health Services (Berlin), Head Start/Early Head Start (Concord), Healthreach Mobile Dental Program (Kingston & Newton), Lamprey Healthcare School Dental program (Newmarket, Raymond, and Nashua), School Smiles (Wolfeboro), and Speare Memorial Hospital Dental Health Program (Plymouth), all have or are school-based programs that received grants.

The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation provided funds to Capital Region Family Health Center Dental Clinic (Concord), Families First Dental Center (Portsmouth), Tamworth Dental Clinic, Wentworth-Douglass Community Dental Center (Dover) and White Mountain Community Health Center (N. Conway), for dental equipment, supplies, or educational material. The Foundation also gave grants to the NH Oral Health Coalition for the administration of the New Hampshire Oral Health Plan and to the Community Health Institute to administer anti-smoking education throughout the state.

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 690,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont and offers programs for individuals and for businesses of all sizes.

Northeast Delta Dental Foundation Supports Vermont Oral Health Programs

Concord, NH: Northeast Delta Dental Foundation announces that in 2007 it contributed over $48,000 to the success of oral health programs in Vermont. It granted funds to Bennington County Head Start, Washington Northeast Supervisory Union, and Springfield School District for their Tooth Tutor programs. It awarded grants to The Health Center (Plainfield) for dental equipment and Vermont Dental Care Programs (Winooski) for relocation expenses, and to Communities Against Tobacco (Brattleboro) for dental supplies.

The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation also provided funds to Vermont Technical College (Randolph Center) and to Center for Technology, Essex for equipment to be used to train dental hygienists and dental assistants.

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 690,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont and offers programs for individuals and for businesses of all sizes. Its Vermont sales office is located in Burlington.

Northeast Delta Dental Welcomes New Vice President of Professional Relations

Concord, New Hampshire: Northeast Delta Dental is pleased to announce that Dr. Shannon Mills recently joined its staff as Vice President, Professional Relations. Dr. Mills was the Assistant Director of the Dental General Practice Residency at the University of Nevada School of Medicine following 28 years of service in the US Air Force Dental Corps. Dr. Mills received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas, and a Certificate in Advanced General Dentistry from Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas. He is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and International College of Dentists. Dr. Mills serves as a consultant to the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs and is Chairman of the American Dental Association/American National Standards Institute Standards Committee for Dental Products.

Northeast Delta Dental is the largest dental benefits carrier in northern New England, administering dental benefits to over 690,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

New Hampshire Writers' Project Adds Betty Andrews to its Board

Concord NH: The New Hampshire Writers' Project, New Hampshire's only statewide nonprofit organization that brings writers and readers together to cultivate the Granite State's literary community, recently elected Betty Andrews to its board of trustees.

Andrews is the manager of community relations at Northeast Delta Dental in Concord, where her work includes relationship-building with community nonprofits and writing a variety of public relations communications pieces. Andrews also serves the Board of the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation as its secretary and assistant treasurer. She is the Vice President of Membership of Horseshoe Pond Toastmasters and the Treasurer of the Friends of Josiah Carpenter Library. Andrews earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Keene State College. She lives in Pittsfield, New Hampshire.

Andrews will serve a three-year term. For more information about the Writers' Project visit www.nhwritersproject.org or call 603-314-7980

Northeast Delta Dental: For a Fourth Year, Ranked as One of America's Best Small Companies

Concord, New Hampshire: Northeast Delta Dental was named one of the 25 Best Small Companies to Work for in America for a fourth consecutive year. The list of the 50 Best Small & Medium Companies was announced recently before an audience of more than 15,000 at the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) Annual Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas.

Now in its fourth year, this annual list ranks the best 25 small and best 25 medium-sized companies in America using proven people management strategies to develop successful organizations with highly productive and satisfied workforces. Only six of the 25 small companies were ranked among the best for the fourth year in a row. The organizations, which ranged in size from 50-to-999 employees, were selected and ranked by the Great Place to Work® Institute (GPTW). Ranking was based, in part, on an employee opinion survey.

In discussing the ranking, Connie Roy-Czyzowski, SPHR, CCP, Vice President of Human Resources at Northeast Delta Dental said, "We're so very pleased to have our people management skills recognized! We believe that employees who are treated with respect, have meaningful work to do, and are provided with the best training and tools possible, perform well and provide unparalleled service to our customers! Customers want to do business with the highly motivated and customer-focused employees at Northeast Delta Dental!"

Northeast Delta Dental administers the dental benefits of over 670,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and offers dental programs for individuals and businesses of all sizes.

SHRM is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management and Great Place to Work® Institute, Inc. is an international research and consulting firm dedicated to building great workplaces.

Thomas Raffio to Serve on NH Board of Education

Concord, NH: President & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental Thomas Raffio of Bow was recently nominated by Governor John Lynch and confirmed by the Executive Council to serve on the New Hampshire Board of Education as the District 2 Representative.

The NH Board of Education reviews all programs and activities of the New Hampshire Department of Education and makes recommendations to its Commissioner.

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 670,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Thomas Raffio Awarded Community Leadership Award by NAMI NH
Tom Raffio Recieves Award

Concord, NH: Tom Raffio of Bow, New Hampshire, President & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental, was recently awarded The Samuel S. Adams Excellence in Community Leadership Award by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) NH at a reception held at the Capital Center for the Arts in Concord.

Established in 2004, this award recognizes exemplary community/state leaders who may not have a direct affiliation with the mental health field. The Award was presented to Samuel S. Adams in 2005 and to former Governor Jeanne Shaheen in 2006.

Mike Cohen, NAMI NH Executive Director, said "Tom represents the values associated with this award. He recognizes the impact of individual contributions to the success of projects, programs, and groups. We are excited to honor his achievements and recognize the positive impact he makes through his civic involvement and in his role as President of Northeast Delta Dental."

Raffio provides leadership to the boards and advisory committees of several New Hampshire nonprofits. Following his example, more than two dozen Northeast Delta Dental employees serve over 65 community organizations in this way.

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to individuals and companies of all sizes in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Northeast Delta Dental is Recognized Nationally for its Information Storage Practices

Concord, New Hampshire: Northeast Delta Dental was recently selected by Computerworld as having the "Best Practices in Storage" in the Innovation and Promise category at its annual Storage Networking World Gala Awards ceremony in San Diego, California. Computerworld recognizes organizations that create strategic business value through the innovative use of storage technologies and services.

Dan Kaplan, Manager of Networking and Technical Support for Northeast Delta Dental, selected EMC Corporation's EMC Centura™ and EMC DiskXtender® to meet growing archiving and retrieval demands. DiskXtender automatically archives images older than three months to Centera storage, freeing valuable disk capacity on production file servers. This system complies with department of insurance claim image retention regulations in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, ensuring that stored claims are secure and authentic. Archived claims can be accessed in seconds. Kaplan said, "EMC's file system archiving solution not only saves Northeast Delta Dental time and money, but it also enables our company representatives to serve our customers and dentists more effectively."

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 670,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Delta Dental Plan of Vermont Adds New Trustee

Burlington, Vermont: Delta Dental Plan of Vermont announces the election of a new Trustee, Philip A. Lapp, CPA. Lapp is the Tax Manager at Gallagher, Flynn & Company, LLP, in Hanover, New Hampshire. Lapp is also a Board Member and Treasurer for the Bethany Birches Children's Camp in Plymouth, Vermont. Delta Dental Plan of Vermont is one of three Delta Dental Plans doing business jointly as Northeast Delta Dental, with corporate headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire. Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 670,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Delta Dental Plan of Maine Announces Two New Directors

Saco, Maine: Delta Dental Plan of Maine announces the election of two new Directors, Kristin J. Tardif of Ellsworth, and Michael P. Goldberg, DMD, of Bangor.

Kristin Tardif is Vice-President, Marketing Director of Union Trust Company in Ellsworth, where she manages marketing, corporate communication, and public relations. Tardif is a Trustee for the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Director for the International Trial Association, and a Board member of Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility.

Dr. Michael Goldberg practices dentistry in Bangor, where his practice specializes in periodontics and implants. Goldberg is a faculty associate in Dental Health at the University of Maine at Augusta Dental Health Program in Bangor, and he belongs to several dental associations.

Delta Dental Plan of Maine is one of three Delta Dental Plans doing business jointly as Northeast Delta Dental, with corporate headquarters in Concord, New Hampshire. Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 670,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Northeast Delta Dental Ranked Among Best Small Companies to Work For in America for the Third Year in a Row!

Concord, New Hampshire: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Great Place to Work® Institute named Northeast Delta Dental as one of the 25 Best Small Companies to Work for in America, an honor announced recently at SHRM's 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition.

This ranking recognizes the best 25 small and 25 medium companies in America that have used people management strategies successfully to develop organizations with highly productive and satisfied workforces. During the three years that this ranking has been produced and released, Northeast Delta Dental was ranked among the 10 best small companies.



SHRM President and CEO Susan Meisinger, SPHR (right) presents the award to
Sr. Vice President, Operations William Lambrukos and Vice President,
Human Resources Connie Roy-Czyzowski, SPHR. CCP.

Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits for over 650,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and is recognized regionally for its customer service focus, its quality initiatives, and its record of social responsibility.

"Small and medium-sized companies make up the majority of the American economy and workforce," said SHRM President and CEO Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR. "These winning organizations demonstrate that making effective use of workforce is key to their success. . ."

Great Places to Work® Institute cofounder Robert Levering said that other companies had "much to learn about how to both be productive and do right by their people" from the winning companies.

SHRM is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management, and The Great Place to Work® Institute is an international research and management consultancy that produces other "Best Companies to Work for" lists, including Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work for"©, recognizing employers with 1,000 or more employees.
 

Delta Dental Plan of Maine Establishes the Largest Scholarship Program for Dental Hygiene in State History.
Click to enlarge.
Click to view Scholarship Distribution Protocols.
Augusta, Maine: Over the next five years, the Delta Dental Plan of Maine Dental Hygiene Scholarship Fund will distribute $250,000 divided between The University of New England in Biddeford and the University of Maine at Augusta, Bangor campus.

"We've never had a scholarship program in this realm given for students studying dental hygiene," comments Ann Curtis, Coordinator of Dental Health Programs at the University of Maine at Augusta/University College of Bangor Dental Health Programs. "This scholarship is addressing two critical needs in the state of Maine-access to higher education for students, and the need for more dental health professionals in the state."

The scholarships will be awarded to students through the administrative offices at each college, following them through a three-year dental hygiene program. The scholarship fund is designed to help students with the costs of training for a dental hygiene career and encourage them to work in Maine. Ellen Beaulieu, Ed.D, Academic Dean of the College of Health Professions at the University of New England, adds "It's a major assistance for new students and an incentive for people to take a closer look at a dental hygiene career."

"We hope to attract both traditional and non-traditional students into a dental hygiene program," says Fred Bechard, D.Ed., Chairman of the committee that created the scholarship fund and Superintendent of Schools for MSAD 57 in Waterboro.

"This is a huge opportunity and funding source for the non-traditional student; someone who may have delayed higher education in lieu of work or someone who is seeking secondary education for a career change," states Merle Davis, Employment Counselor for the Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Services. "Kudos to Delta Dental Plan of Maine for including the non-traditional student in this scholarship program and for being a concerned and supportive industry that is trying to be part of the solution."

Delta Dental Plan of Maine is one of three Delta Dental Plans that comprise Northeast Delta Dental, which administers dental benefits to over 650,000 individuals in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
 

Thomas Raffio Receives NHBCA Leadership in the Arts Award.

At its annual awards banquet, New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts awarded Northeast Delta Dental President & CEO Tom Raffio its annual Leadership Award for his community service related to the arts. Here is some of what was said about Tom when he received his award...
     

(left to right) Governor John Lynch, Dr. Lynch,
Thomas Raffio, Scott Spradling
The recipient of this year’s Leadership Award is known as one who believes that business and the arts should support each other, with business providing both leadership and financial resources and the arts creating and sustaining an attractive cultural environment...

As noted humanitarian Albert Schweitzer so aptly expressed it, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” By this leader’s example of personally contributing to the arts in the same way as his corporation, he has encouraged support for the arts among other business leaders.

During a decade of community involvement in our state, this leader has directed his organization to support diverse art organizations...and has served on the board of many of them. In board leadership positions, he is known as a communicator and motivator, bringing the same vision and passion to the table that he shares with the boards that govern his organization.

....he is developing the next generation of leadership by encouraging his employees to volunteer for arts organizations and helping them to find the right match...

For the impact he has made on the arts in New Hampshire, this year’s Leadership Award is presented to President & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental, Thomas Raffio.

Quality Business-Education Partnership Award Recognizes Tom Raffio.

Concord, New Hampshire: In early July Northeast Delta Dental President & CEO Tom Raffio accepted an Outstanding Quality Business-Education Partnership of the Year Award at the Seventh International Invitational Quality Leadership Retreat & Summit in Maui. The Center For Schools of Quality (John Jay Bonstingl) in Columbia, Maryland, and the Quality Education Network of the International Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) of Arlington, Virginia, cosponsored the award. It annually recognizes exemplary contributions to collaborative efforts resulting in higher achievement and greater well-being for all students and their families and communities.

The Retreat & Summit brings together 25 top-level, quality-focused leaders in the fields of education, business, and government exploring themes of how to best apply quality principles to education, including those used in the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Tom Raffio is an Incorporator and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Granite State Quality Council. For more information, call 603-223-1312 or visit www.gsqc.com.

Award cosponsors also honored Fred Bramante and the New Hampshire State Board of Education for their efforts to incorporate Real World Learning into the lives of New Hampshire students.
 

Northeast Delta Dental President & CEO Selected as a Best Boss.

Concord, New Hampshire: Thomas Raffio, President & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental, was one of 15 leaders of small businesses to win a national "Best Boss 2005" award presented jointly by Winning Workplaces and FORTUNE Small Business at an annual workplace practices conference in Chicago. The September conference celebrates best practices of small businesses and their leaders. Selected by a distinguished panel of judges during a rigorous nomination process, winners were listed in the October issue of FORTUNE Small Business.

Winning Workplaces is a national not-for-profit whose mission is to help leaders of small and midsize organizations create great workplaces. FORTUNE Small Business provides informative articles on the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. economy.

Headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire, Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits to over 650,000 individuals in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Northeast Delta Dental Ranked Among Best Small Companies to Work For in America for the Second Year in a Row.

Concord, New Hampshire: Great Place to Work® Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) selected Northeast Delta Dental as one of the 25 Best Small Companies to Work for in America, an honor announced recently at SHRM's 2005 Annual Conference & Exposition in San Diego, California.

In its second year, this ranking recognizes the top 25 small and top 25 medium companies in America using people management strategies successfully to develop organizations with highly productive and satisfied work forces. Making the list both years, Northeast Delta Dental was again ranked among the 10 best small companies. Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits for over 650,000 people in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont; and is recognized regionally for its customer service focus, quality initiatives, and record of social responsibility.

SHRM President and CEO Susan Meisinger, SPHR said, "The organizations on this year's list demonstrate that smaller companies can compete with large organizations in terms of how to effectively incorporate strategies that make the most effective use of the work force." Great Places to Work® Institute cofounder, Robert Levering, added, "These companies stand out because their employees find them to be places where they can trust the management, have pride in their work, and have fun at work."

SHRM is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management. The Great Place to Work® Institute is an international research and management consultancy that also produces other "Best Companies to Work for" lists, including Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work for,"© recognizing employers with 1,000 or more employees.
 

New Hampshire Historical Society, Northeast Delta Dental Team up for Education
Northeast Delta Dental is helping to keep children engaged in history through its support of the New Hampshire Historical Society's "Young Scholars" program. This statewide education initiative was developed to help New Hampshire students better understand and appreciate their local, state, and national history and culture.

Grade four at New Hampton Community School with Bill Veillette, executive director of NH Historical Society (left) and Tom Raffio, president & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental.


"Northeast Delta Dental is thrilled to have the opportunity to support the New Hampshire Historical Society's Young Scholars Program," said Northeast Delta Dental President & CEO Thomas Raffio during a recent visit to the Society's Museum of New Hampshire History in Concord. "It's important to us to play a role in training knowledgeable future citizens, and we are happy to help underwrite the costs of this educational program so that more students can experience the museum's compelling, artifact-based education programs."

Students either visit the Society's Museum of New Hampshire History with their classes for lessons, or museum teachers travel to present outreach lessons in the students' own classrooms. Currently, the Society's education programs reach more than 15,000 students each year from all around the state.

"Developing and delivering high-quality programs for students and teachers is expensive, and the Society relies on contributions from individuals, business, and foundations to keep these educational opportunities available and affordable to schools," explained Executive Director Bill Veillette. "We are grateful to Northeast Delta Dental and all of our sponsors for their generous support."
 

American Dental Association and Local Dentists Sponsor Give Kids a Smile ®

On Friday, February 4, 2005, the nation's dentists provided free oral health care services to thousands of low-income children across the country.  Give Kids A Smile® 2004 was an effort that resulted in the delivery of some $100 million in dental education, screening, treatment and products to a million children around the country by 38,000 dental professionals.

Give Kids A Smile® is just one of many events taking place during National Children's Dental Health Month, also sponsored by the American Dental Association (ADA).

Click below to find out more about the Give Kids a Smile®, National Children's Dental Health Month, dental
offerings in your state, and the ADA:

American Dental Association: http://www.ada.org
National Children's Dental Health Month: http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/ncdhm.asp
Give Kids a Smile®: http://www.ada.org/prof/events/featured/gkas/index.asp

New Hampshire Dental Society: http://www.nhds.org
Maine Dental Association: http://www.medental.org
Vermont State Dental Society: http://www.vsds.org
 

Northeast Delta Dental Ranked Among 25 Nationally in Small Company Category

New Orleans, Louisiana: Northeast Delta Dental of Concord, New Hampshire, was named among the top 50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America. The corporation administers dental benefits to over 650,000 individuals in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

Northeast Delta Dental’s ranking as fourth “Best Small Company in America” was announced on June 28, 2004 before 12,000 human resource professionals at the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM) 56th Annual Conference & Exposition in New Orleans. President & CEO Thomas Raffio reacted to the announcement by saying, “as we grow, we do our utmost to keep the heart and soul of a smaller organization. We believe in listening to our employees, and we implement many of their suggestions.”

This year marked the launch of the list ranking the top 25 small and top 25 medium companies in the United States. The organizations, ranging in size from 50 to 999 employees, were announced by SHRM and selected and ranked by the Great Place to Work® Institute (GPTWI) based primarily on an employee opinion survey. Winning organizations appear in the July issue of HR Magazine.


Newcomen Society Honors Northeast Delta Dental

From left: Leighton A. Wildrick, Thomas Raffio, Philip B. RyanOn the evening of November 18, 2003, The Newcomen Society of the United States honored Northeast Delta Dental at a dinner and program held in the newly renovated Governor’s Hall at Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire. Mr. Raffio presented highlights of the corporation’s history. This corporate history will later be published and placed in over 3,000 libraries throughout the United States. Leighton A. Wildrick, President & CEO of the Newcomen Society of the United States, presented the Newcomen Award to Northeast Delta Dental.

The Newcomen Society, based in Exton, Pennsylvania, is a publicly supported, tax-exempt education foundation for the “study and recognition of achievement in American business and the society it serves.” The Society highlights the values of a free enterprise system by recognizing organizations that contribute to, or benefit from, free enterprise.

Philip B. Ryan, National Trustee of The Newcomen Society and Chief Executive Officer of Merchants Automotive Group, presided. Lewis M. Feldstein, President of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, introduced Thomas Raffio, President & CEO of Northeast Delta Dental. These events followed a cocktail reception hosted by Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green, P.A.

Past New Hampshire honorees include: Elliot Hospital, Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, and Mount Washington Hotel & Resort

Connie Roy-Czyzowski, SPHR, Receives HR Hero Award

Manchester, New Hampshire: Connie Roy-Czyzowski, SPHR, received the HR Hero award at the fifth annual Granite State Human Resources Conference. This award recognizes an individual for making significant contributions to the field of human resource management and its increased importance in the workplace. It also honors creative approaches and consistently high performance that benefit this individual’s organization and business and professional communities. The award signifies that Roy-Czyzowski is considered to be the best in the Granite State in human resources management.

Roy-Czyzowski is the Vice President, Human Resources, for Concord-based Northeast Delta Dental. She has over 20 years of experience in human resources management. She is a Past President, Program Chair, Membership Chair, and Board Member for the Manchester Area Human Resources Association, a local Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) chapter. She also served as President of the Human Resources Association of Greater Concord.

Roy-Czyzowski is Chair of the Advisory Board for the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester. She also serves as a member of an Advisory Board for the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord and the Ventures for Growth Committee of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.