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>>> Driving Greater Diversity in the Oral Health Workforce

Delta Dental awards $980,000 to initiatives promoting greater diversity in the oral health workforce

In October, as part of its Driving Greater Diversity in the Oral Health Workforce campaign, the Delta Dental Institute announced that the Delta Dental Oral Health Diversity Fund, now in its second year as the only national fund of its kind, has awarded $980,000 in funding to six organizations that administer grassroots programs aimed at encouraging underrepresented school-aged children to pursue a career in oral health. The six awardees include the American Dental Education Asso ciation, Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships, In c ., NAF, the National Dental Association, Planet Smilez, Inc., and the Society of American Indian Dentists.

>>> Learn more about the awardees

>>> Research

New Delta Dental research highlights preventive dental care as key to achieving optimal health

New research from Delta Dental underscores the value of preventive dental care and the essential role it can play in whole-person health: decreasing the occurrence of serious oral disease, improving outcomes, addressing disparities, and lowering health care costs.

>>> Read the report

>>> Community Impact

Delta Dental of Connecticut

Expanding dental homes for children

Delta Dental of Connecticut supported Yale New Haven Hospital's (YNHH) Expanding Dental Homes for Head Start Children program, which provides exams, cleanings, X-rays, and fluoride treatments to children ages 6 months to 5 years enrolled in Head Start programs in the Greater New Haven area. Funding from the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation awarded YNHH a $50,000 SMILE Grant to outfit an RV for pediatric dentists and residents to provide dental care through this program.

>>> Learn more

Delta Dental of Minnesota

Supporting oral health education

Delta Dental of Minnesota supported the Smiles@School Program, which provides first graders with oral health education and dental health kits. Funding from the Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation allowed for the expansion of the first-grade program to all 87 counties in Minnesota, delivering an additional 12,000 dental health kits and educating students in 643 schools. The program has grown 30% in one year, now reaching 52,000 students.

>>> Learn more

Delta Dental of New Mexico

Preventing oral health injuries

Delta Dental of New Mexico supported the Mouth Guard Program in partnership with the New Mexico Activities Association. This program provides free mouth guards to student-athletes across the state to prevent injury and improve the overall health of communities. Funding from Delta Dental of New Mexico provided over 10,700 mouth guards to student-athletes in the state.

>>> Learn more

>>> Advocacy

Delta Dental featured in new documentary on menopause

The (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause

Delta Dental helped spotlight the connection between oral health and menopause in the documentary, “The (M) Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause.” The documentary premiered on PBS and PBS.org on October 17 in advance of World Menopause Day. Journalist Tamsen Fadal and Denise Pines, Executive Producer of Women in the Room Productions, co-produced the documentary to shed light on the lack of education and public awareness around menopause and its varying symptoms.

The documentary included clinical expertise from a variety of renowned physicians and surgeons, and Delta Dental was the film’s only source of insights into the oral health and menopause connection. Sarah Chavarria, CEO and President, Delta Dental of California and Affiliates, and Teri Barichello, DMD, Vice President and Chief Dental Officer, Delta Dental of Oregon and Alaska, are featured in the film, sharing compelling insights into how menopause impacts women’s oral and overall health.

Delta Dental has released a special 13-minute edit of “The (M) Factor” that breaks the silence on menopause and its effect on oral health.

“The (M) Factor” has aired on more than 300 PBS member stations across all 50 states and is available to stream on PBS.org.

Delta Dental takes the stage at the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit to discuss the importance of healthy aging across the lifespan

A perspective offered by Delta Dental Plans Association President and CEO James W. Hutchison

I was honored to join an esteemed panel of health care leaders at the recent Milken Institute's Future of Health Summit 2024, where we discussed the importance of healthy aging across the lifespan and the vital role that dentists and other oral health professionals play in identifying and addressing health issues early, especially for the 65+ population. A big thank you to my fellow panelists, Josef Coresh, Kelly Cronin, Sarita Mohanty, MD, MPH, MBA, and Greg Olsen, for the fantastic conversation. Thank you also to our outstanding moderator, National Public Radio’s Allison Aubrey.

Following the panel discussion, I had the pleasure of hosting a dinner with a group of thoughtful and engaging health policy leaders for a discussion of what to expect in health care policy, the workforce, and collaborative solutions to health care access challenges in rural and underserved communities. I look forward to continuing these conversations in 2025.

Many thanks to the Milken Institute for the invitation to the Health Summit 2024 and for a motivating week.

Tamana (Bunny) Begay, DDS, Expert Advisor to Delta Dental's Driving Greater Diversity in the Oral Health Workforce campaign, analyzes the obstacles to increasing the number of American Indian and Alaskan Native dental providers.

>>> Read more

Arturo Brito, MD, MPH, Expert Advisor to Delta Dental's Driving Greater Diversity in the Oral Health Workforce campaign, shines a spotlight on the importance of integrating oral and social drivers of health into pediatric health care.

>>> Read more

James W. Hutchison, Delta Dental Plans Association's President and CEO, offers his insights on how partnerships can support the greater community ecosystem and improve health care delivery for those in need.

>> Read more