When most people think about visiting the dentist, they picture cleanings, cavity checks, and maybe a quick polish.
Dr. Daniel Croley wants to change that.
As vice president and chief dental officer at Delta Dental of California, Croley has long believed that oral care is deeply connected to overall health, particularly heart health.
He helped pioneer Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts, a collaboration between Delta Dental and the American Heart Association designed to turn the dental chair into a gateway to better health.
Croley’s groundbreaking vision has earned him the American Heart Association’s Award of Meritorious Achievement, an honor given to individuals whose work significantly advances the organization’s national initiatives.
This recognition comes at a pivotal time in health care, when integration between specialties is proving essential to prevention and early intervention.
Croley’s approach reflects a simple yet powerful idea: your mouth is part of your body.
That might sound obvious, but in practice, the medical and dental fields have often worked in silos.
Bringing them together can lead to life-saving outcomes.
For example, research has shown a link between gum disease and increased cardiovascular risk due to inflammation and bacteria that may affect arteries.
A 2020 study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology found that patients with severe gum disease were more likely to experience major cardiovascular events, reinforcing the importance of integrating oral health into total health care models.
That’s where Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts comes in.
The program trains dental professionals to take blood pressure, assess diabetes risk, and screen for early signs of disease during routine checkups.
It also builds bridges between dental teams and primary care providers to ensure patients receive the follow-up they need.
Croley’s passion for this work comes not only from professional insight but also from personal experience.
His oldest son, Jack, was born with brain damage resulting from an infection.
Croley saw firsthand the importance of care coordination across specialties and has spent his life advocating for a health system that listens, adapts, and includes every aspect of the patient.
For Croley, whole-person health isn’t just an abstract goal — it’s a family value.
His wife Beth, a therapist, and his two sons continue to inspire his work in reshaping the way care is delivered.
That sense of purpose fueled his leadership at Delta Dental and his work with the American Heart Association, where his candor in early conversations helped plant the seed for the Healthy Smiles initiative.
He has since championed resources to help dental offices implement blood pressure screenings and make referrals as needed — an innovation AHA leaders believe will enhance patient experience and even improve long-term outcomes.
Croley believes everyone deserves care that reflects the full picture of their health.
From the early days of practicing clinical dentistry to his current role influencing policy and innovation, he has worked to put people, not just procedures, at the center of care.
And thanks to that commitment, more Americans are learning that a trip to the dentist could be the moment that saves their life — not just their smile.