DELTA DENTAL OF MISSOURI NAMES NEW CHAIR AND WELCOMES FIVE NEW MEMBERS TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Jan. 11, 2024) … Delta Dental of Missouri, the state’s dental benefits leader and a non-profit organization, has named Mark Zust, DDS, as chair of its Board of Directors. Anthony Garavaglia, senior vice president at Alliant Insurance Services; Megan Krohn, DDS; Cynthia Petrie, DDS, MS, FACP; Christine Pierson, CEO of LTA Manufacturing; and Latasha Vick, DDS, MHS, were elected as new board members. Each will serve a three-year term.
Dr. Zust is a general dentist in private practice in St. Peters, Mo. He has served on the Delta Dental of Missouri Board of Directors since 2016, most recently as first vice chair. He has held leadership positions with the American Dental Association, Missouri Dental Association, Greater St. Louis Dental Society, Missouri Dental Insurance Services and Give Kids A Smile® clinics, which donate vital dental care to children in need. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. He resides in Weldon Spring, Mo.
Garavaglia is a results-driven business management executive with broad-based expertise, leading effective business strategy, operations performance and cross-functional teams in support of multi-million-dollar human resources consulting organizations. In his current role, he is working to build Alliant Insurance Services’ market presence in St. Louis, Kansas City and surrounding Missouri markets. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from Webster University. He resides in Chesterfield, Mo.
Dr. Krohn is executive vice president of dental services at Swope Health, which is a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center (FQHC). She provides direct patient care and oversees its dental and sterile processing departments. In this role, she also serves as adjunct faculty for the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry and at the A.T. Still University-Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health in Kirksville, Mo. She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the UMKC School of Dentistry with honors in oral surgery. She resides in Kansas City, Mo.
Dr. Petrie is a board-certified prosthodontist at the UMKC Dental Faculty Practice at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. She is a professor at the UMKC School of Dentistry, holding the title of Dr. George Tanaka Hawaii Professor of Restorative Dentistry, and serves as chair for its Department of Restorative Clinical Sciences. She earned Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees from the University of Athens School of Dentistry in Athens, Greece, and the UMKC School of Dentistry. She earned a certificate in graduate prosthodontics and a Master of Science degree from the UMKC School of Dentistry. She resides in Kansas City, Mo.
As CEO of LTA Manufacturing, Pierson directs all strategic and functional departments, including marketing, business development, customer service, operations, engineering, supply chain, logistics, product development and finance. LTA is a manufacturer and international marketer of recreational and commercial-grade fiberglass truck covers and cargo management solutions for light-duty pickup trucks. She earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Missouri, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Rockhurst University. She resides in Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Dr. Vick is the director of community-based education and outreach at Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine in Joplin, Mo., where she resides. She also serves as adjunct clinical supervising dentist for the dental hygiene program at Missouri Southern State University. She earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., a Master of Health Sciences degree in physician assistant studies from the University of Oklahoma, a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Oklahoma State University, and she is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health degree at Tufts University.
“We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Zust at the helm of our board and to welcome our new board members,” said Rob Goren, fellow board member, and president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of Missouri. “Dr. Zust has made significant contributions during his tenure and is continuing to help advance our mission to improve oral health in the communities we serve. Our new members bring valuable perspectives and expertise that will help us continue to meet the evolving needs of our stakeholders.”
About Delta Dental of Missouri
Delta Dental of Missouri is the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. It provides more than 2.1 million members with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need. Delta Dental of Missouri also created the Missouri Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at www.DeltaDentalMO.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalMO.com.