Delta Dental Foundation

TeamSmile brings together oral health providers and professional athletic organization to provide life-changing dental care to kids who need it most—and they need your help. You can volunteer to staff their events, which are supported by the Delta Dental Foundation, on Oct. 8 with the Indianapolis Colts and Oct. 11 with the Cincinnati Bengals.

To volunteer or for more information, visit: https://hubs.la/Q02MKDFC0.

What does it mean to be Hygienist Inspired? Our executive director, Holli Seabury, and American Dental Hygienists' Association President Elect Lancette VanGuilder gave Matt Crespin a sneak peek of our new partnership aimed at strengthening and diversifying the dental hygiene workforce by recruiting chairside. Listen to "Recruiting our Future Workforce," episode 144, at https://hubs.la/Q02MKxPb0 to learn more!

Do you work for a nonprofit, public health dental clinic in Michigan, Ohio or Indiana? Now's your chance to enhance your team's ability to provide the best possible care for people with disabilities through our Centers for Inclusive Dentistry program. (We'll even pay for it!)

Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02M6BbF0.

On Monday, Detroit students got ready to TACKLE the upcoming school year! The Delta Dental Foundation worked with TeamSmile and A Son Never Forgets Foundation to help local kids access back-to-school supplies and vital dental screenings at an event hosted by DJ Reader of the Detroit Lions. A huge thank you to all of our volunteers, including those from Delta Dental of Michigan!

There's only two weeks left to submit a grant request for your oral health program. Apply by Monday, Sept. 2, for consideration during this grant cycle. Requests submitted after Sept. 2 will be held until our next board meeting in November. Learn more at the link below.

Oral Health Grant Opportunities The DDF funds the people and programs that promote oral health equity and align with the five core pillars outlined in our strategic plan. We are especially interested in proposals that promote oral health equity for people with disabilities.

This week, the Delta Dental Foundation and Michigan Primary Care Association hosted oral health advocates from across Michigan for our third-annual Oral Health Workforce Development Summit. Participants spent two days in intentional, interactive workshops identifying ways to expand, retain and diversify the oral health workforce serving in safety-net facilities. Stay tuned for updates on this initiative's efforts!

Want to stay current with the Delta Dental Foundation? Subscribe to our newsletter! As a subscriber, you'll receive quarterly funding updates, oral health news and grant opportunities. Sign up at the link below!

Subscribe to our Newsletter Stay up to date with the all the latest happenings at the Delta Dental Foundation by subscribing to our newsletter.

TeamSmile is still looking for a dentist and a few hygienists to help support their oral health screening event in Detroit on Monday, Aug. 19, in association with A Son Never Forgets Foundation's back-to-school drive!

For more information and to register, visit: https://hubs.la/Q02L8PBZ0.

We hope to see you there!

Our executive director, Holli Seabury, visited MCDC • My Community Dental Centers' Marquette location to celebrate their clinic expansion. The DDF funded the addition of two operatories to help reduce wait times and allow for more patients to be seen in the clinic. The Upper Peninsula has few providers who accept Medicaid or offer low-cost care, which makes MCDC a critical option for care.

As the school year approaches, health departments and their partners across Michigan are hard at work helping to prepare children for a healthy school year. Why? Oral health screenings are now required for children starting kindergarten under the the Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment Program (KOHA).

Read more about KOHA and how it hopes to set children up for a lifetime of good oral health at the link below.

New public health program improves oral health for Michigan’s children To address childhood tooth decay, the Michigan Department of Human Health Services launched the Kindergartener’s Oral Health Assessment Program.

Congratulations to the 2024 recipients of the Delta Dental Foundation Mini-Grant Program! Fifty community organizations in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana received a total of $300,000 to support oral health access, education and workforce development. For a full list of the recipients, visit the link below.

Delta Dental Foundation Awards $300K in Community Oral Health Grants Fifty nonprofits in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana will receive nearly $300,000 under the Delta Dental Foundation’s 2024 Mini-Grants Program.

Our community partners are doing work that matters—and we want the world of public health dentistry to know about it. To help make that happen, we’re inviting our grantees to present their grant-funded work at conferences throughout the country, and we’ll cover registration and travel fees. We'll also work with you to help promote the session through social media, interviews, blog posts and more.

For details and to apply, visit the link below.

Grantee Conference Presentations Our community partners are doing work that matters—and we want the world of public health dentistry to know about it.

This weekend, we hosted a lunch and learn at the American Dental Hygienists' Association annual conference to discuss the why behind our new chairside recruitment program and, most importantly, to LISTEN. More than 100 hygienists offered their expert insight into how we should shape the program. To receive more information, visit: https://hubs.la/Q02JdZkG0.

Are you considering a grant request for your oral health program? Apply by Monday, Sept. 2, for consideration during this grant cycle. Requests submitted after Sept. 2 will be held until our next board meeting in Nov. 2024. Learn more at the link below!

Oral Health Grant Opportunities The DDF funds the people and programs that promote oral health equity and align with the five core pillars outlined in our strategic plan. We are especially interested in proposals that promote oral health equity for people with disabilities.

Each year, we offer Community Commitment Awards to dental students who commit to practicing in a dental health professional shortage area in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana after graduation. The goal? Support the next generation of oral health professionals who are dedicating their careers to public health dentistry. Read more about our 2023 recipients' first year of practice at the link below.

The 2023 CCA cohort focuses on community care, one patient at at time Although each recipient's journey to dentistry looked different, they all have one thing in common: a passion for serving communities in need.

Open wide! We're partnering with the American Dental Hygienists' Association to launch a multiyear chairside recruitment initiative to address a nationwide dental hygiene workforce shortage—especially in communities that experience oral health disparities. To learn more and to sign up, visit:
https://hubs.ly/Q02Hr8pD0

Does your Michigan, Ohio or Indiana nonprofit need oral hygiene materials for this year's holiday season? It's not too early to submit your application to receive materials in November! Our current cycle for in-kind donations will close on October 31 with applications reviewed and fulfilled during November. To learn more and apply visit the link below.

In-Kind Dental Donation Requests The Delta Dental Foundation offers in-kind materials such as oral health brochures and other educational materials, as well as toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste and more to qualifying organizations and programs. You can preview available materials here. Keep in mind: We can only respond to requests fo...

Do you work for a nonprofit, public health dental clinic? Now's your chance to enhance your team's ability to provide the best possible care for people with disabilities through our Centers for Inclusive Dentistry program. Learn more at the link below.

Centers for Inclusive Dentistry For many people with disabilities, oral health is their number one unmet health care need. The Centers for Inclusive Dentistry program aims to change that.

Make dental visits easier with the All Smiles Shine app! All Smiles Shine was designed by and for people with autism but can help anyone learn more about good oral health and how to prepare for the dentist. Download for FREE on Google Play or the Apple App Store using the link below.

All Smiles Shine The All Smiles app was created to help the autism and IDD communities learn about oral healthcare, practice preventative care at home, and prepare for an upcoming visit to the dentist.

Help inspire the next generation of oral health professionals by connecting your local Girl Scout troop with the Smile Squad patch program! Scouts will review good dental habits, try oral health experiments and more. Learn more about the FREE program at the link below.

Join the Smile Squad: A Girl Scout Patch Program for Better Oral Health Girl Scouts can use their creativity and scouting skills to learn how their mouths link to overall health and well-being as part of the Delta Dental Foundation’s Smile Squad patch program. Scouts will review good dental habits, try oral health experiments, discover how hidden sugars can damage the...

A new dental hygiene program in the Upper Peninsula? Northern Michigan University will study the feasibility of developing and sustaining one in Marquette, thanks to a DDF grant. Learn why this is a critical step toward greater economic opportunity and improved oral health at the link below.

NMU Studies Feasibility of Dental Hygiene Program | Northern Today Northern Michigan University will study the feasibility of developing and sustaining a dental hygiene education program in Marquette to meet workforce needs of regional offices and enhance oral health services for Upper Peninsula residents. The closest existing program in the state is about 350 mile...

Did you receive our newsletter yesterday? If not, now's a great time to sign up for quarterly funding updates, oral health news, program highlights and grant opportunities using the link below.

Subscribe to our Newsletter Stay up to date with the all the latest happenings at the Delta Dental Foundation by subscribing to our newsletter.

This quarter, we granted nearly $1.3 million to 15 organizations in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, which you can read about in the link below. Keep an eye on your inbox for our latest newsletter, which highlights our grantmaking and the important work of our community partners!

Summer 2024: New Grants and Funding Initiatives The Delta Dental Foundation (DDF) recently approved nearly $1.3 million in grants to fund initiatives in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

We're tackling oral health with TeamSmile at the Cleveland Browns' stadium to bring a unique dental care experience to more than 200 Cleveland children today! This volunteer-driven event combines sports with oral health, helping to create a more positive, energetic experience for everyone involved. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this happen!

Celebrate Pride year-round by ensuring your clinic offers welcoming, affirming care to your LGBTQ+ patients. Click the link below for nine ways you can get started!

Nine Ways to Welcome the LGBTQ+ Community to Your Dental Practice Creating welcoming environments for LGBTQ+ people promote trust, healing and better call for everyone. Here are nine ways to get started.

Are you (or do you know) an oral health professional who needs to fulfill continuing education requirements? You can access FREE online continuing education through Penn Dental Medicine designed to strengthen skills in caring for people with disabilities. Learn more at the link below!

Center for Persons with Disabilities Presentation Series - Penn Dental Medicine The Center for Persons with Disabilities Presentation Series, a series of professional development programs, is aimed at building awareness of the barriers to equitable oral health for individuals with disabilities, and developing competency to provide oral health care to this vulnerable population.

There's just one week left to apply to our Mini-Grants Program! This year, we'll have only one application period, and the maximum amount of funding per applicant will be $10,000, up from $5,000. Applications will be accepted until June 30, with recipients announced in July. To apply, visit the link below!

Mini-Grants for Nonprofits Promoting or Providing Oral Health Care The Delta Dental Foundation's (DDF) Mini-Grants Program is evolving to better meet the needs of our community partners. This year, the DDF will offer grants up to $10,000 to community organizations and programs that promote or provide oral health care and initiatives that align with our strategic a...

The work we do to improve oral health equity in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina is just one part of a national effort to create healthier smiles in every community. Together, Delta Dental invested more than $106 million last year, impacting over 16 million lives. Read the 2023 Community Impact Report at the link below.

2023 Delta Dental Community Impact Report At Delta Dental, our mission is your health. As the nation's largest oral health philanthropist, we invest in the oral and overall health of our communities.