Delta Dental impacted the lives of 2,287 individuals in Alabama by investing $278,000.

Delta Dental Insurance Company supported Rural Health Medical Program (RHMP), an organization dedicated to ensuring everyone has access to quality, affordable health care. Delta Dental’s support enabled RHMP to expand dental care to all of its locations and over the next five years, double the number of dental encounters — currently at 15,000 per year. This expansion is pivotal as RMHP looks to double the number of patients it serves to make quality health care available to everyone across Alabama’s Blackbelt.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of Alaskans by investing $3,650 in community impact programs.

Delta Dental of Alaska partnered with the American Heart Association Anchorage affiliate to elevate the link between oral health and heart disease. This partnership has now existed for a few years and includes the support of the annual Go Red for Women event. The goal of the event is to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease in women, while raising funds to continue the fight to end heart disease and strokes.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 211,530 individuals in Arizona by investing $1,727,180.

Delta Dental of Arizona partnered with HonorHealth and Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH), a group of community health care centers across Maricopa County, to improve access to oral health care. Uninsured patients who visit any of five HonorHealth emergency rooms with dental issues are triaged, then directed to case workers to make appointments at NOAH Dental Clinics for treatment. In addition, transportation is arranged if needed, and patients are provided up to $1,500 in emergency dental services.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 492,010 individuals in Arkansas by investing $1,692,263.

Delta Dental of Arkansas supported the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Arkansas River Valley. The support enabled the organization to host an oral health and nutrition education initiative for about 300 K-5 students enrolled in its after-school program. The weekly “Smile 101” course taught the basics of oral hygiene through art projects, craft activities, educational games, and preventive care dental visits — a first-time experience for many youngsters.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 2,362,546 individuals in California by investing $11,133,983.

Delta Dental of California supported the Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC) with generous funding to address health disparities, make health care more equitable, and support the opening of SNAHC’s expansion in South Sacramento. The new site, set to open in late 2022, will include medical, dental, behavioral health, and support services and will serve the vital needs of the South Sacramento community.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 881,680 individuals in Colorado by investing $7,801,872.

The Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation Oral Health Capital Loan Fund provided $2.7 million in low-interest capital loans to Tepeyac Community Health Center, Project Worthmore, and Kids First Health Care — which serve historically underserved communities — to renovate and build out dental clinics. Funding these clinics is critical, as low-interest loans support community needs while allowing Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation to recycle the repaid loans into new loan opportunities, expanding its ability to fund this important work.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 2,394 individuals in Connecticut by investing $262,870.

Delta Dental of New Jersey supported the University of Connecticut Foundation’s (UCONN) Open Wide for Veterans Day by providing a $10,000 SMILE Mini Grant to the Share the Care Fund. Many veterans cannot afford routine dental care, which can negatively impact both their oral and overall health. UCONN provides free dental care for our nation’s veterans via their Open Wide for Veterans Day program. Delta Dental of New Jersey’s support covered dental treatment costs for more than 110 veterans.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 600 individuals in Delaware by investing $30,500.

Delta Dental of Delaware supported the Ministry of Caring, an organization dedicated to serving low-income and homeless individuals and families in Wilmington, Delaware. The Ministry has evolved into a comprehensive human services agency providing hunger relief, emergency shelter, transitional and supportive housing, job training, childcare, medical and dental services, and case management. Its programs support individuals and families as they move from poverty to self-sufficiency. Last year, the Ministry’s efforts touched the lives of more than 20,000 Delawareans.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 39,915 individuals in Florida by investing $742,900.

Delta Dental Insurance Company supported Caridad Center, the largest free clinic in Florida. Caridad Center offers comprehensive social services, medical, dental, vision, and mental health care to all in Palm Beach County who are disadvantaged, uninsured, and unable to obtain these services elsewhere. Caridad serves a wide span of people, most of whom are Hispanic and Haitian, and gives families a fighting chance to stay healthy and receive proper medical, vision, and dental treatment.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 5,107 individuals in Georgia by investing $664,442.

Delta Dental Insurance Company supported Lost-n-Found Youth, an LGBTQ homeless youth fund project. The organization works with communities to end homelessness for LBGTQ youth by providing food, shelter, and life stabilization services and envisions a world in which all youth can live and grow authentically.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 128,683 individuals in Hawaii by investing $6,955,577.

Hawaii Dental Service (HDS) expanded its Dentist by One program by creating information toolkits that were distributed to 300 pediatricians and other community providers on Oahu. The toolkit included posters for pediatrician offices, stickers for their young patients, and handouts to help parents easily find a dentist, including those who accept Medicaid. Distribution of packets to the neighboring islands will begin in 2022.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 107,345 individuals in Idaho by investing $2,162,106.

Delta Dental of Idaho continued its support of Grins on the Go, a comprehensive prevention program providing free dental screenings, fluoride varnish, dental sealants for children, oral health risk assessment, and screenings for families with children. The program prioritizes low-income schools in Idaho and offers school-based sealant clinics and oral health education in collaboration with community partners. The program improved the oral health outcomes of Idahoans by impacting 8,845 lives in 2021.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 232,193 individuals in Illinois by investing $4,918,132.

Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation’s H20 On the Go program provided water bottle-filling stations, reusable bottles, and toothbrushes for students at Illinois schools. In addition to supporting overall health and well-being by encouraging students to choose water, the program promotes sustainability, as well as helps eliminate germ exposure. To date, 140 schools have received new water bottle-filling stations, impacting nearly 50,000 Illinois students.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 14,499 individuals in Indiana by investing $223,800.

Delta Dental Foundation, an affiliate of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina, established a $25,000 Diversity Dental Student Scholarship for individuals from systemically disadvantaged backgrounds. Evidence suggests patients of color receive better care from providers who look like them, but fewer than 10% of dentists are Black, Hispanic, or Indigenous. The first recipient from the Indiana University School of Dentistry is Rachel Boler, a first-generation college graduate. Additionally, Delta Dental Foundation contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to regional and national programs, including Penn Dental Medicine.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 864,444 individuals in Iowa by investing $2,836,623.

Delta Dental of Iowa supported the expansion of Healthy Birth Day, Inc., to increase awareness of the connection between good oral health habits during pregnancy and improved maternal health and birth outcomes, with a focus on addressing the disproportionate impacts on women of color.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 119,620 individuals in Kansas by investing $1,575,953.

Delta Dental of Kansas has supported the Head and Neck Cancer Living Foundation (HNC), making a difference in the lives of thousands of people. Head and neck cancer, which often affects breathing, eating, drinking, speaking, and the voice, can also significantly impact a person’s physical appearance and self-esteem and may affect a person’s willingness or ability to socialize or return to work. For these patients, maintaining good oral health is a constant battle. Through Delta Dental of Kansas’ partnership with HNC, 1,453 critical dental services have been provided to cancer patients in Kansas.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 108,631 individuals in Kentucky by investing $1,688,150.

Delta Dental of Kentucky launched a mobile dental unit program, Smiles Across the Commonwealth, to improve the oral health of all Kentuckians by providing necessary dental services to underserved communities throughout the state. The two-operatory mobile dental unit is fully equipped to provide dental exams, x-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, fluoride varnish, and sealants. Smiles Across the Commonwealth will host more than 25 mobile dental clinics in 2022, providing no-cost care to underserved individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 10,187 individuals in Louisiana by investing $436,600.

Delta Dental Insurance Company supported Trinity Community Health Centers of Louisiana, an organization committed to providing affordable oral health care to underserved communities. With Delta Dental Insurance Company’s help, Trinity was able to provide its patients with advanced dental technology, same-day crowns, 3D printed dentures, and intraoral cameras (instead of traditional putty-like impression material). This new equipment will help patients minimize office visits for the completion of their care and offer access to services that would have previously been unaffordable.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 28,473 individuals in Maine by investing $1,077,638.

Northeast Delta Dental supported the work of Dental Lifeline Network’s Donated Dental Services (DDS) program in Maine. The program helps disabled, elderly, and medically fragile individuals who cannot afford or otherwise access treatment for severe dental conditions. Northeast Delta Dental Foundation’s grant supported the work of a program coordinator who solicits dental volunteers, determines applicant eligibility, links patients with volunteer dentists and laboratories, and monitors patient progress. The coordinator supported 98 patients with $189,047 in donated dental treatment in 2021.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 1,696 individuals in Maryland by investing $290,000.

Delta Dental of Pennsylvania supported Chase Brexton’s dental services at its Mt. Vernon, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Randallstown Centers in Maryland. Chase Brexton Health Care’s mission is to provide compassionate, quality health care that honors diversity, inspires wellness, and improves the lives of those in the communities it serves. Chase Brexton provides a range of clinical services from primary medical care and behavioral health services to dental and pharmacy, among others, and welcomes more than 40,000 patients annually.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 520 individuals in Massachusetts by investing $193,000.

Delta Dental of Massachusetts supported young men and women of color preparing to enter the oral health field by funding scholarships for students in the health sciences program at Roxbury Community College (Boston) and students in the dental hygiene programs at Quinsigamond Community College (Worcester) and Springfield Technical Community College, a designated Hispanic Serving Institution. Each school works to close achievement gaps for students from communities that often face barriers to entry, enabling opportunities to find success.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 959,223 individuals in Michigan by investing $4,947,162.

Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana partnered with Ford Motor Company and Kare Mobile to uplift minority businesses and bring mobile oral health care services to residents in southwest Detroit through the Motor City Kares initiative. Two minority-led Michigan dental health providers received a custom mobile dental clinic and the opportunity to participate in a business bootcamp offered by Lightship Foundation. During a two-year agreement, both businesses will be required to spend at least 50% of their time in operation serving residents in southwest Detroit’s Corktown and Mexicantown neighborhoods.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 337,020 individuals in Minnesota by investing $8,951,099.

Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation supported the Walker Methodist Foundation, a nonprofit focused on enhancing the lives of older adults, to pilot a project aiming to improve daily oral hygiene and health for older adults in senior care. The funding supported the integration of a dental hygienist into Walker Methodist’s long-term care housing programs to oversee daily oral care, education, and preventive services. The project impacted the lives of 925 older adults.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 2,413 individuals in Mississippi by investing $226,500.

Delta Dental Insurance Company supported Manna Ministries, an organization devoted to improving outcomes for uninsured and low-income families who lack access to medical and dental care. Recognizing that oral health is an integral part of overall health, Manna Ministries aims to improve the quality of life and health of Mississippi residents while addressing lack of access to oral health care. Delta Dental Insurance Company’s funding enabled Manna Ministries to open a dental clinic for uninsured patients offering no-cost oral health screenings, extractions, dental health education, and dental hygiene packets.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 277,836 individuals in Missouri by investing $1,295,978.

Delta Dental of Missouri supported Gateway to Oral Health Foundation, which provides comprehensive dental care for at-risk and underserved children and youth, regardless of their families’ ability to pay. Using two mobile dental vans, the foundation’s dentistry teams treat students at schools in districts in St. Louis. Delta Dental of Missouri’s grant helped the nonprofit expand its “Miles of Childhood Smiles” project to additional schools, rehire staff furloughed by the COVID-19 pandemic, purchase educational materials and supplies, and continue outreach to underserved communities.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 1,427 individuals in Montana by investing $128,000.

Delta Dental Insurance Company supported Smiles Across Montana, which is transforming access to care in the state by serving indigenous people and seniors in collective and remote locations. Smiles Across Montana is also working to provide access to all Montanans through mobile and teledentistry programs. Support from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation has been elemental in helping decrease disparities in oral health among Montana’s most vulnerable populations.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 100 individuals in Nebraska by investing $5,300.

Delta Dental of Nebraska supported dental offices across Nebraska with funding for COVID-19 expenses and supported food shelves to help improve the oral and overall health of the Nebraska community.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 5,840 individuals in Nevada by investing $255,000.

Delta Dental Insurance Company supported Future Smiles, a nonprofit organization that provides vital health services to vulnerable youth throughout Southern Nevada. Future Smiles offers oral health education, preventive services to reduce common dental problems such as tooth decay, and restorative treatment for those in need of dental fillings or extractions. Since its inception, Future Smiles has provided oral health care to more than 150,000 children who attend schools in the Clark County School District.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 16,532 individuals in New Hampshire by investing $740,033.

Northeast Delta Dental partnered with the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire to provide oral health education to children and their families through fun and hands-on activities during Children’s Dental Health Month in February. Northeast Delta Dental Foundation’s support allowed more than 9,500 visitors to make animal teeth from paper cups, watch a bubbly, foamy experiment about how plaque attacks your mouth, decorate Tooth Fairy pouches, and more. Each child left with a toothbrush and toothpaste to reinforce using healthy oral habits at home.

Delta Dental impacted the lives of 19,340 individuals in New Jersey by investing $708,578.

Delta Dental of New Jersey supported its communities through Associate Impact Month (AIM), in which 84% of employees participated in at least one of more than 40 virtual and in-person volunteer opportunities. Volunteer opportunities included working with Delta Dental Foundation grantees and groups that resonated with associates, including Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Rise Against Hunger, and NJ Sharing Network. More than 1,000 individuals were reached through AIM efforts, including collection drives.

Right: Delta Dental of New Jersey associates volunteer at Community Food Bank of New Jersey during 2021’s Associate Impact Month. Sixteen associates helped assemble 1,480 bags of pasta, which provided 1,233 meals to those in need.