Safeguard Buying Florida Dental Plan

Safeguard Health Enterprises Inc., announcing its second major out-of-state acquisition, said Wednesday it intends to buy a Florida-based dental health plan.

The Anaheim health maintenance company said it signed a letter of intent to buy the stock of Advantage Dental Health Plans, a privately held dental managed care company in Fort Lauderdale.

The purchase would add 60,000 members to Safeguard’s existing membership of about 980,000, the company said. Advantage serves individuals in Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Ohio and Washington, D.C.

The cash purchase is still subject to negotiation and terms weren’t disclosed. Safeguard expects to complete the deal within three weeks.

The acquisition comes on the heels of Safeguard’s purchase last month of First American Dental Benefits Inc., a Dallas managed-care company.