Bountiful-based Dentist Direct bought by Indianapolis firm

Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Co. of America, a national insurance carrier, has reached an agreement to acquire Dentist Direct, a Bountiful-based dental and vision insurance carrier, and its affiliate Direct Access, a discount dental insurance plan provider. Indianapolis-based Renaissance specializes in dental, vision, life and disability insurance.

“With a shared white-glove service philosophy of delivering an outstanding benefits experience by the companies, the acquisition will fuel expansion opportunities for all three organizations,” a Renaissance release said.

“While Renaissance is significantly larger than Dentist Direct and offers opportunities for us to grow our product offerings beyond dental and vision insurance in the future, the company understands the importance and value of maintaining a local presence,” said Dentist Direct President Preston Homer. “Their approach to providing a flexible, friendly experience for customers of every size is perfectly aligned with our service model.”

“This is acquisition is an important step in our strategic growth at Renaissance, because it not only broadens our geographic presence in the western U.S., but also augments our dental network, and strengthens our team with the addition of an exceptional group of smart, like-minded professionals,” said Robert P. Mulligan, president and CEO of Renaissance.

“Through creativity, agility and a commitment to doing what is right for their partners and members, Dentist Direct has rapidly grown from a start-up to a strong regional carrier, specializing in dental and vision insurance,” said Jeff Kolesar, chief operating officer of Renaissance, who will be appointed CEO of Dentist Direct. “Renaissance will help Dentist Direct add more value for customers by offering complementary coverages such as life and disability insurance.”

Beyond the change in ownership, Dentist Direct will continue to operate with the same team. The company has also developed a proprietary local dental network, which will remain in place. Founded in 2005, Dentist Direct now serves more than 60,000 members.