Delta Dental Awards $300,000 to 11 Organizations

One in four adults with low incomes in Missouri say their mouth and teeth are in poor condition, (1) while 14.6% of children ages 1-17 statewide struggle with one or more oral health problems, such as toothaches, bleeding gums, decayed teeth or cavities. (2) These issues are exacerbated by a significant shortage of dental health professionals in the state. To help combat this, Delta Dental of Missouri – the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a non-profit organization – has awarded oral health grant support to 11 organizations that align with its mission to improve oral health. The company awarded a total of $300,000 in grant funding to these organizations to help further oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that are working to meet the oral health needs of children and adults in Missouri. This includes $15,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks located in Springfield.

“This significant grant funding will allow us to continue providing children who qualify for free/reduced school lunches with free dental care on the Tooth Truck – Missouri’s only Ronald McDonald Care Mobile,” sated Bonnie Keller, president and chief executive officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks. “Thanks to Delta Dental of Missouri, we can serve an unlimited number of children who lack Medicaid coverage, focusing solely on completing 100 percent of each child’s dental needs, including sealants and prevention education.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks will use the oral health grant funding to help provide no-cost dental services and educational programming through its Tooth Truck to children who are at risk and without access to dental care in Greene, Lawrence, Howell, Christian and Barry counties. The Tooth Truck has provided nearly $25 million in dental services for 33,400 children over the past 21 years.

“Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks and other funded organizations are working tirelessly to help eliminate the harsh realities of oral health disparities for those they serve,” stated Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Missouri. “We’re thrilled to align with each organization to support life-changing work through our oral health grant program. Together, we can help thousands of children and adults across the state receive vital treatment and services to improve their oral health and overall well-being.”

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.

To learn more, visit https://www.deltadentalmo.com/AboutUs/oral-health-grant-program.

1 https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/oralhealthwell-being-statefacts/Missouri-Oral-Health-Well-Being.pdf
2 https://health.mo.gov/living/families/mch-block-grant/pdf/oral-health.pdf

About Delta Dental of Missouri
Delta Dental of Missouri is the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. It provides more than 2.37 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 www.DeltaDentalMO.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalMO.com.