Michael Jones is the new president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Arizona, effective October.

He will also serve as the president of the charitable Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation, which provides much-needed funding, education and dental supplies to those in need across the state.

Delta Dental’s headquarters is located at 5656 W. Talavi Blvd., Glendale.

“I am exhilarated to be joining Delta Dental of Arizona given its competitive market position and outstanding reputation for delivering quality customer service,” Jones stated in a news release. “I look forward to building on this reputation as I collaborate with the Board, our management team and employees and our provider partners to improve the oral health of even more Arizonans.”

As president and CEO, Jones will be instrumental in helping the organization uphold its reputation as the leading dental insurance company in Arizona, serving more than 1.2 million enrollees and 3,500 contracted dentists. He will work closely with the board of directors and Delta Dental’s executive leadership team to create and leverage partnerships that strengthen the organization’s ability to meet current and evolving market demands while remaining true to its mission of improving lives by promoting optimal oral health. 

“Michael is a senior executive with more than 25 years of developing effective strategies, leveraging technology and building engaged, high-performance teams,” Dr. Richard Higgs, chair of the board of directors for Delta Dental of Arizona, stated. “We are confident that his collaborative approach, coupled with his track record of working proactively to drive operational excellence and increase market share will continue to help us innovate and position Delta Dental for further success.”

Prior to joining Delta Dental, Jones served as managing director and Midwest region healthcare provider lead for Accenture, a global professional services company providing strategy, consulting, digital and technology solutions. Since 2016, Jones specialized in identifying strategic solutions for various health care organizations and led business development activities to grow the consultancy while managing executive-level client relationships.

Jones also founded professional consulting firm M. Jones & Associates, LLC in 2005, which he ran as managing partner until 2016, focusing on delivering strategic business and technology solutions to organizations across the country. He brings a wealth of experience from his various c-suite roles at companies like BeTheMatch and CIGNA Behavioral Health. Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Iowa State University and a master’s in business administration degree from the University of Texas, where he was a Consortium Fellowship Recipient.

Jones replaces Allan Allford, who has served as president and CEO of Delta Dental since 2010 and announced in February his plans for retirement by year’s end.