Delta Dental invested over $106 million in community programs in 2023, impacting over 16 million lives nationwide

The nation’s largest oral health philanthropist releases its 2023 Community Impact Report highlighting its work to advance health and wellness in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, June 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Delta Dental Institute released its 2023 Community Impact Report, “Our mission: your health.” Last year, Delta Dental invested over $106 million to support programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, impacting over 16 million lives. These investments supported programs focused on expanding access to care, advancing health equity, building resilient communities, and innovating for a healthier tomorrow. Over the last decade, Delta Dental has invested nearly $2 billion to support such programs in communities across the country.

“Since our founding 70 years ago, Delta Dental has been making meaningful investments in the health of our communities,” said James W. Hutchison, President and CEO of Delta Dental Plans Association. “As the nation’s largest oral health philanthropist, community engagement is at the core of who we are and our mission to advance oral and overall health.”

The report, issued annually, tells the story of the investments that Delta Dental companies, their foundations, and community partners made last year to positively impact the oral and overall health of their communities.

Highlights from the report include:

Expanding access to care: Delta Dental provided more than 1.7 million free or low-cost dental screenings and exams, distributed over 1.8 million oral health kits, and supplied nearly 200,000 students with free sealants to help more people access oral health care. To elevate the overall health of the communities we serve, we invested more than $14 million in community health and wellness programs.
Advancing health equity: Delta Dental invested over $21 million in training, education, and workforce development programs to improve patient outcomes. We launched the Driving Greater Diversity in the Oral Health Workforce campaign, and invested $725,000 in the inaugural year of our industry-leading Delta Dental Oral Health Diversity Fund, to help ensure the next generation of the oral health workforce better reflects the communities we serve.
Building resilient communities: Last year, Delta Dental team members dedicated more than 30,000 hours to community service programs. We distributed more than $1.4 million toward disaster relief and related activities, largely through our partnership with the American Red Cross, and our water filtration systems helped eliminate the use of over 1.3 million water bottles.
Innovating for a healthier tomorrow: Delta Dental partners with leading organizations and academic institutions on research to create solutions that will advance the future of oral and overall health care. Last year, more than 2,700 physicians and oral health professionals participated in programs to apply medical-dental integration practices in their care settings, supporting over 107,000 patients.

Delta Dental also celebrates five years of the Delta Dental Institute, which was launched in 2019 to advance oral health for all Americans and to shine a brighter spotlight on the connection between oral and overall health. Since then, the Delta Dental Institute has led and engaged in significant research, community outreach, and advocacy initiatives designed to ensure that everyone understands this important connection and has access to the care they need. Today, an overwhelming majority of Americans recognize oral health as a critical part of overall health, showing that our work, and that of our community partners, is making a difference.

The report also includes a new video and an interactive map featuring programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The full report is available online at www.deltadentalinstitute.com/cir.

About Delta Dental Plans Association

Based in Chicago, 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 benefits provider, and offers the country’s largest dental network with approximately 152,000 participating dentists. Over the last decade, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested nearly $2 billion to improve the oral and overall health of our communities.

About the Delta Dental Institute

The Delta Dental Institute advances oral health for all Americans in partnership with 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 deltadentalinstitute.com for more information.