Survivors of Domestic Violence Among Missourians Aided Through Oral Health Grants

Survivors of domestic violence often experience significant oral health issues due to physical trauma and barriers to dental care. Hope House in Lee’s Summit is addressing this issue by helping dozens of survivors each year gain access to free, essential dental care through its on-site dental clinic. This life-changing work is possible thanks to supporters like Delta Dental of Missouri – a non-profit and the state’s leading dental benefits provider and oral health philanthropist – which recently awarded Hope House a $15,000 oral health grant. To date, the organization has donated over $82,400 to Hope House.

Hope House’s on-site dental clinic provides emergency exams, checkups, cleanings, x-rays, fillings, sealants, extractions and root canals. Those with care needs that extend beyond the clinic’s scope are referred to local dentists and receive direct financial assistance and transportation support.

This free care has helped survivors like Jessica, whose name has been changed for privacy and confidentiality purposes. She suffered a severe assault by her abuser that damaged her teeth extensively. A Hope House Court Advocate helped her file an order of protection and connected her with the dental clinic, where a volunteer dentist treated her and arranged a referral for free oral surgery. Today, Jessica remains safe and focused on achieving her safety and self-sufficiency goals.

“Hope House is grateful for Delta Dental’s continued support of our onsite dental clinic,” said MaryAnne Metheny, CEO of Hope House. “This grant has allowed us to continue providing essential dental services to domestic violence survivors in Kansas City. In 2024, we assisted 91 clients through our dental clinic, and this year, we’ve served 88 clients so far.”

Delta Dental of Missouri awards grants annually for general operations, programs, projects and capacity-building efforts promoting the oral health of individuals in Missouri. Objectives of its grant program include:

· Reducing oral disease through education, prevention and treatment
· Ensuring access to affordable, timely and high-quality dental care
· Enhancing the awareness of good oral health with a focus on children and individuals in need
· Making a measurable difference in the oral health of Missourians
· Helping to ensure that Missouri is among the states with the highest indicators of oral health.

As part of its most recent grant cycle, Delta Dental of Missouri awarded a total of $185,950 in oral health grants to eight organizations throughout the state. In addition to Hope House, this included Seton Center in Kansas City, which received $25,000 to provide charitable, uncompensated care through its dental clinic serving uninsured and low-income residents in Jackson, Clay and Ray counties.

“We are thrilled to partner with each of these organizations to help eliminate the harsh realities of oral health disparities in our state,” stated Stacy Harris, community impact program manager at Delta Dental of Missouri. “Supporting this type of life-changing work furthers our mission to help people of all ages live better lives through improved dental health.”

To learn more about how eligible organizations can apply for oral health grant funding in 2026, visit https://www.deltadentalmo.com/AboutUs/oral-health-grant-program.

About Delta Dental of Missouri
Delta Dental of Missouri is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization and the state’s leading dental benefits provider and oral health philanthropist. It provides more than 2.41 million members with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need. Delta Dental of Missouri also created the Missouri Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at https://www.deltadentalmo.com/resourceguide. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalMO.com.

# # #