Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation Awards $908,500 in Grants for 2015

Virginia oral health and educational organizations have something to smile about in 2015, thanks to the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation.

In December 2014, grants totaling $908,500 were awarded to 29, 501(c)(3), tax exempt organizations whose work will positively improve the oral health of Virginians through education access to care for the under or uninsured.

“Our challenge is to make the biggest impact on improving Virginians’ oral, and thus, whole body health,” said George A. Levicki, president and CEO, Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation. “By providing much-needed funding, these organizations are in a better position to serve the oral health needs of their communities. We are delighted at the progress.”

In 2014, Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation grant award recipients were able to provide dental care to more than 39,575 children and 11,203 adults who had previously been unable to afford or access care.

Twenty-four Virginia community and free clinics and health foundations received grants totaling $515,500 to improve access to dental care for Virginians who are either under or uninsured. These grants will provide for dental supplies, equipment, delivery of care, dentures and mobile dental equipment for rural areas.

Among the success stories is the Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF), which received a $1 million grant paid over three years to establish dental safety net organizations in communities where access to dental care is lacking. During the first two years of the challenge grant, VHCF has already established five dental safety net clinics in localities that did not have any and expanded the capacity of two small clinics. Those clinics have already provided 9,880 visits to 5,143 uninsured and underinsured Virginians.

Five universities and non-profit organizations received grants for oral health education and expansion of care through scholarships for aspiring health professionals. In 2012, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry received a $500,000 grant to be paid over four years for dental scholarships to address the shortage of dental professionals. The Virginia Tech-Carilion School of Medicine received a $1 million grant paid over four years to endow the Oral Health Teaching curriculum for medical students, among the first in the nation.

A listing of the 2015 recipients and information regarding grant eligibility and application is at http://deltadentalva.com/ddvafoundation.aspx.