<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-21.1
<SEQUENCE>5
<FILENAME>doc5.txt
<TEXT>

                       SAFEGUARD HEALTH ENTERPRISES, INC.

                           SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY


The  subsidiaries of Safeguard Health Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation,
are  as  follows:


1.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  an  Arizona  corporation
2.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  California  corporation
3.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  Colorado  corporation
4.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  Florida  corporation
5.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  Kansas  corporation
6.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  Missouri  corporation
7.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  Nevada  corporation
8.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  an  Ohio  corporation
9.     Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  an  Oklahoma  corporation
10.    Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  Texas  corporation
11.    Safeguard  Health  Plans,  Inc.,  a  Utah  corporation
12.    Guards  Dental,  Inc.,  a  California  corporation
       (A wholly owned subsidiary of Safeguard Health Plans, Inc., a California
       corporation)
13.    SafeHealth  Life  Insurance  Company,  a  California  corporation


                                  EXHIBIT 21.1
<PAGE>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>