Delta Dental of AZ, SWHD Dedicate Little Free Library in Scottsdale

On Nov. 12, Delta Dental of Arizona president and chief executive officer Michael Jones joined Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH) chief executive officer, Wendy Armendariz and Southwest Human Development’s chief development officer Jake Adams to dedicate a Little Free Library, as well as dozens of books – including several age-appropriate titles on oral health – at NOAH’s Cholla Health Center at 8705 E. McDowell Road in Scottsdale.

“The Little Free Library program helps inspire readers and expand access to educational materials to improve the overall wellness of our communities. Its ‘take a book, return a book’ free book exchange will provide children the opportunity to read fun, age-appropriate books at home, which could very well be the only book that child owns,” said Adams.

Delta Dental of Arizona has been a supporter of NOAH since 2013, helping to fund the organization’s three dental clinics throughout the Valley that provide exams, cleanings, sealants and fluoride varnish, fillings, oral surgery, root canals, crowns, and more. They also see patients with dental emergencies. Delta Dental of Arizona also partnered with NOAH on a Mouth-Health Cookbook in recent years as well.

“NOAH is dedicated to increasing access to care for many of our community’s most vulnerable individuals,” said Jones. “We hope this Little Free Library stands as both a symbol of our commitment to supporting their good works as well as a new way to positively impact the lives of local children and families.”

“NOAH’s whole person approach to patient care focuses on head-to-toe health which includes establishing the love for learning at an early age. Our children’s storybook “NOAH’s Desert Animals: Sheldon Gets Stuck” will also be distributed at the Little Free Library further expanding our opportunity to connect with patients and community members in a unique way. The Little Free Library is an exciting addition to the health and wellness resources offered at Cholla Health Center and celebrates our continued partnership with Delta Dental of Arizona,” said Armendariz.

According to Little Free Library, the overarching 501c3 organization that founded the concept, studies show that children growing up in homes without books are on average three years behind children in homes with lots of books, even when controlled for other key factors. One of the most successful ways to improve the reading achievement of children is to increase their access to books, especially at home. But two out of three children living in poverty have no books to call their own.

In addition to this recent partnership to make the Little Free Library a reality, Delta Dental of Arizona – through its Foundation – has supported Southwest Human Development’s Oral Health Program for Children and Families program for several years, including a recent $20,000 community grant, which also included additional funds for necessary supportive supplies.

“The program provides instruction on the importance of daily and lifelong oral health care, preventive screenings, and the importance of having a dental home. Through it, Southwest Human Development also partners with dental professionals to bring screenings/varnish treatments to schools and community events to accompany the educational component whenever possible,” said Adams.

This dedication, which also included Delta Dental team members working together to paint and decorate the library in vivid colors and with child-friendly oral health illustrations, also celebrated the organization’s recent move to Scottsdale.

The new suite features fewer traditional offices and more meeting spaces, from conference rooms to huddle zones, to fit the team members’ varied needs. The design also provides a central hub for gatherings and connections. It is also outfitted with state-of-the-art technology that will make working and sharing information among team members seamless, driving more efficiencies in how we support our customers, members, providers, and brokers.