Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation Newsletter

Welcome to our 2026 Q1 newsletter! We’re glad you’re here and we’re excited to share our updates and stories with you!

Save the date

April

16

Dental Director’s Collaborative Overview

Thursday, April 16, from 12:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Join our informational session to learn about the Dental Director Collaborative, a partnership connecting safety net dental leaders across Virginia to strengthen communication and collaboration. Click here to register for this event.

May

4-6

VFN Annual Conference

May 4-6, 2026

Join the Stronger Together 2026 Conference to connect with peers, share ideas and explore strategies that strengthen collaboration and impact across Virginia’s philanthropic and nonprofit community. Click here to learn more about this event.

June

2

2026 Grant Cycle Info Session

Tuesday, June 2, at 2:00 p.m.

Applications will open on June 8, 2026. Click here to register for this informational session. If you are unable to attend the June 2nd info session, the recording will be available on the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation page.

Foundation News

We’re excited to share that our 2025 Annual Report is now live! This year’s report celebrates the incredible impact of our partners, grantees and team members across the Commonwealth. At its heart, the annual report is a tribute to all the individuals who help make our mission possible. It highlights more than outcomes, it features moments of innovation, compassion and collaboration that help to create more smiles in Virginia.

We invite you to explore the full report and join us in celebrating another year of healthier smiles and stronger communities.

Partner Highlights

Left to right: Dr. Wilken, Dr. Fargiano, Dr. Alrababa, Dr. Mattox, Dr. Barnwell, Dr. Laverdiere, Dr. Wolpin

We’re teaming up with Virginia Health Care Foundation to launch a Dental Director Collaborative to provide safety net partners with clearer communication and more opportunities for collaboration and partnership. All Dental Directors and/or lead dentists from FQHCs, free clinics and look-alikes are invited to attend our introductory meeting on April 16 from 12:30 – 1:00 p.m. to learn more about the collaborative. Click here to register for the meeting.

Chaired by Dr. Scott Wolpin, Chief Dental Officer, Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Inc., the Dental Director’s Collaborative will meet four times per year – twice virtually and twice in person. The first in-person meeting will be held on June 11-12, 2026, in Abingdon at Appalachian Highlands Community Dental Center. More information about this session will be forthcoming, but please save the date.

The top goals of this collaborative are to:

Provide a grassroots coalition for safety net dental directors from across the Commonwealth to network
Share dental director specific tool sin practice management, leadership and program development
Build advocacy in a safe environment among peers

Foundation in Action

New year, same spirit of supporting our communities! Our Smile Ambassadors have been working hard to complete our 2026 Give Back Calendar and have already completed three volunteer events this year.

In February, we sorted donations and wrote letters

to local seniors with the

Local Office on Aging.

Then we teamed up with Huddle Up Moms to pack essential supplies for local moms.

At the beginning of March, we shouted BINGO with veterans at the Davis and McDaniel Veterans Care Center.

We’re looking forward to volunteering more this year and helping to create more smiles in our communities.

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