Delta Dental of Arizona grant dollars impact 300,000 across state
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
The Delta Dental Institute is publishing its 2022 Community Impact Report, highlighting the philanthropic investments Delta Dental made last year to support the oral and overall health of communities across the country.
According to the report, Delta Dental of Arizona contributed $1,495,967, positively impacting more than 295,125 people.
“Delta Dental of Arizona exists to provide a path to better health and wellness and healthier lives for everyone by expanding access to care, advancing health equity, and building resilient communities,” said Michael Jones, president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Arizona.
“In 2022, Delta Dental chose to celebrate its 50th anniversary by working together to enhance our impact statewide, expanding our Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation grant criteria, forging bold new partnerships with like-minded organizations, and rolling up our sleeves to volunteer our time to together.”
The report, issued annually, shared several of Delta Dental of Arizona’s key programs and initiatives such as its partnership with Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH) on Dental Connect, its partnership with Arizona PBS to educate children on good oral health, the Delta Dental of Arizona Oral Health Clinic at St. Vincent de Paul, and its critical work with Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Delta Dental of Arizona also provided more than $740,000 in grants to support projects and services promoting good oral health practices and increase access to dental care among underserved children, pregnant women, seniors and – for the first time – adults; made a surprise donation to A New Leaf to support its Healthy Smiles for Life program; volunteered with St. Vincent de Paul, Arizona Mission of Mercy, and the City of Glendale; released a free “Mouth-Health Cookbook” in partnership with NOAH both English and Spanish; and more.
Collectively, according to the report, Delta Dental invested nearly $109 million nationwide – an increase over 2021 – to support programs, research, and advocacy that positively impacted over 20 million lives.
Highlights from the Delta Dental impact report include:
Expanding access to care: Delta Dental supported dental treatment and prevention programs that helped 8.2 million people achieve better oral health, including community water fluoridation projects, school sealant programs, and low or no cost oral health care for underserved communities.
Advancing health equity: Delta Dental invested over $7.5 million to shape the next generation of the oral health workforce so it better reflects the diversity of their communities and promoted oral health education and public awareness campaigns that reached 11.6 million people.
Building resilient communities: Delta Dental distributed $2.9 million toward disaster relief and related activities, largely through a long-term partnership with the American Red Cross, and employees from across the country volunteered over 24,000 hours to support their communities.
Innovating for a healthier tomorrow: The Delta Dental Institute sponsored research that found that increased communication and coordination between medical and dental providers improves health outcomes. Informed by this research, Delta Dental invested $2.2 million in medical-dental integration efforts to reduce barriers to care.
To accompany the report, Delta Dental also released a new video and digital story detailing its community impact work, including an interactive map showcasing specific initiatives in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
