6/27/22

CONCORD, NH – June 27, 2022 – Recently, the Delta Dental Institute released its 2021 Community Impact Report, highlighting the philanthropic investments that Delta Dental made nationally last year to support the oral and overall health of communities across the country. Member Company Northeast Delta Dental contributed more than $2 million last year, impacting more than 50,000 lives, and volunteering 4,500 hours. A national leader in oral health giving, Delta Dental supported efforts and initiatives that expand access to care, advance health equity, build resilient communities, and innovate for a healthier tomorrow. In total, Delta Dental invested $106 million in communities in 2021 — an increase over 2020 — and positively impacted more than 21.3 million lives.

"For nearly 70 years, Delta Dental has been driven by our mission to advance the oral and overall health of the people we serve and the communities we call home," said James W. Hutchison, President & CEO, Delta Dental Plans Association. "We are proud to be one of the nation's leaders in oral health giving and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with our communities and partners on the journey toward better health for all."

“The Northeast Delta Dental Foundation is proud to support oral health initiatives throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont,” said Jennifer McGrath, Manager, Foundation & Marketing Initiatives, Northeast Delta Dental. “We are especially committed to supporting underserved communities including, Dental Lifeline Network’s Donated Dental Services (DDS) program in Maine, helping disabled, elderly, and medically fragile individuals who cannot afford or otherwise access treatment for severe dental conditions. Because everyone deserves a healthy smile.”

Two other examples of Northeast Delta Dental Foundation’s grants include:

• A partnership with the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire to provide oral health education to children and their families through fun and hands-on activities during Children’s Dental Health Month in February.

•  Support of the Expanded Function Dental Assisting (EFDA) program at the Center for Technology, Essex in Vermont. The EFDA program provides highly trained and skilled dental assistants with the additional education that enables them to perform reversible, intraoral procedures, and other expanded duties.

The 2021 Community Impact Report, Our mission: your health, explores four main areas of Delta Dental's community impact efforts nationally:

• Expanding access to care: Delta Dental supported dental treatment and prevention programs — such as free dental clinics — that reached 10 million people and helped 4.4 million more get access to fluoridated water.  
• Advancing health equity: Delta Dental funded scholarships and grants for underrepresented students pursuing careers in oral health, including support for dental students at Howard University and Meharry Medical College, the only two HBCU dental schools in America. Delta Dental also reached more than 10 million people through oral health education programs, with a focus on underserved communities.
• Building resilient communities: Delta Dental expanded access to healthy food, supporting food drives and food banks that supplied more than 17 million meals, and prioritized sustainability through investing in water bottle-filling stations in schools and other efforts.
• Innovating for a healthier tomorrow: Delta Dental focused on the future by funding research and supporting new care models and technologies, like medical-dental integration and teledentistry, to help develop new solutions to improve care.

"I'm so proud that our community impact work continues to focus on addressing health disparities and expanding access to care in underserved communities," said Vivian Vasallo, Executive Director, Delta Dental Institute. "Equity is at the heart of what we do, and we're committed to equipping all members of our communities with the tools they need to live their healthiest lives."

To accompany the report, today Delta Dental also released a video and digital story detailing its community impact work, including an interactive map showcasing specific initiatives in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

The full report is available online here: 2021 Community Impact Report.

About Northeast Delta Dental

Northeast Delta Dental, a not-for-profit member company of Delta Dental Plans Association (DDPA), is the region’s most trusted name in dental insurance for companies of all sizes, individuals, and families in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits for more than 1,002,000 people, with a network of 1,807 participating dentists, or 87% of the total dentists in the tri-state area.

About Delta Dental Plans Association

Based in Oak Brook, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation's largest dental insurance provider, covering more than 83 million Americans, and offering the country's largest dental network with approximately 154,000 participating dentists. Over the last decade, Delta Dental companies provided over $1.8 billion in direct and in-kind support to improve the oral health of our communities.

About the Delta Dental Institute

The Delta Dental Institute is dedicated to advancing oral health for all Americans in partnership with the Delta Dental companies and dedicated partners across the country. With expertise rooted in Delta Dental's rich history of oral health leadership, we engage in and support oral health research, community outreach, and advocacy, striving to ensure that everyone understands the importance of oral health to overall health and has access to the care they need. Visit Delta Dental Institute for more information.