For Immediate Release
Funding Includes a Total of $65,000 for Three St. Louis-Area Organizations
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Nov. 22, 2024) … 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 $30,000 for Give Kids A Smile®, $25,000 for We Care Mobile Dental Foundation and $10,000 for the American Diabetes Association.® All three organizations are located in the St. Louis area.
“Our mission is to bring caring dental professionals, volunteers and organizations together for the purpose of delivering free, quality dental services and oral health education to children,” said Dr. Kourtenay Green, executive director at Give Kids A Smile. “I strongly believe good health is a driving force that allows children to reach their full potential. Too often, the importance of oral health and overall health is overlooked, and children are suffering. Funding from partners like Delta Dental of Missouri allows us to serve so many deserving children and propel our mission forward.”
The oral health grant funding will be used by:
- Give Kids A Smile® to help further its no-cost, comprehensive dental clinics for underserved children who are at risk in St. Louis County, St. Charles County and the City of St. Louis;
- We Care Mobile Dental Foundation to support staff salaries in delivering dental care to individuals with low incomes at assisted living facilities, full-skilled nursing homes and adult daycares in St. Louis County, St. Charles County and the City of St. Louis; and the
- American Diabetes Association® to support oral health education and demonstrations at its ADA Camp EDI for children with type 1 diabetes in St. Louis, Washington, St. Charles and Jackson counties.
“The 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.
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.
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