Delta Dental of California, Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and affiliates
Delta Dental of California, Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and affiliates
Delta Dental Community Care Foundation announces $16 million in funding to nonprofit organizations through Access to Care Grants Program
David Sunday received oral health care through Community Care Foundation partner, UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation granted $16 million to nonprofit organizations through its 2023-2024 Access to Care Grants Program, which increases and safeguards access to quality, affordable oral health care. The annual program functions across all 15 states where Delta Dental of California operates, including Washington, D.C. Since 2011, the Community Care Foundation has granted more than $130 million to community organizations.
What does the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation do?
The Community Care Foundation funds local community partners to:
- Increase access to care.
- Address health disparities.
- Drive health equity.
- Promote innovation within oral health care.
Grants received by the Community Care Foundation enable nonprofit partners, including Federally Qualified Health Centers, to provide vital and beneficial services to those in need.
How the Access to Care Grants Program benefits our communities
Through these grants, the Community Care Foundation has significantly improved the lives of community members, including David Sunday. Sunday is a United States Air Force veteran who now serves as the outreach coordinator and veteran liaison at The Council on Recovery and vice president of the Party Sober Partnership. He received oral health care through UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry.
“When I first came to UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, I was five years sober from my 30-year fight with PTSD and had no idea how I was going to begin addressing my significant dental needs,” said Sunday. “The state of my teeth was impacting my recovery – physically, mentally and spiritually. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t see anything good about myself. The care I received from UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry has been one of the greatest blessings in my life and has helped me move forward. Dentistry is an untapped resource that everyday people do not always have access to, so being able to see other veterans receive the gift of their health and smile again is an honor.”
This year’s focus areas
“This year’s Access to Care Grants represent the program’s largest annual funding and are focused on three critical areas of need – the oral health crisis among older adults, health equity and rural oral health access,” said Kenzie Ferguson, vice president of foundation and corporate social responsibility for Delta Dental of California. “The relationships we’ve developed with our partners are vital and enable us to achieve our broader mutual goals to help make the communities we serve stronger, healthier and more resilient.”
If you would like to learn more, you may read our full press release here.