Delta Dental invested nearly $109 million in community programs in 2022, affecting 20.4 million lives nationwide

 The nation's leading oral health philanthropist releases its 2022 Community Impact Report highlighting its work to elevate health and wellness in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Delta Dental Institute, dedicated to advancing oral health for all Americans, released Delta Dental's 2022 Community Impact Report, "Our mission: your health. Our mission, your health." Last year, Delta Dental, the nation's leading oral health philanthropist, invested nearly $109 million to support programs, research, and advocacy that positively impacted over 20 million lives.

"We are proud to share our 2022 Community Impact Report, which demonstrates our unwavering commitment to advancing oral and overall health," said James W. Hutchison, President & CEO, Delta Dental Plans Association. "As the nation's largest provider of dental benefits, our broad reach and deep oral health expertise allow us to invest in our communities in ways that put all of us on a path toward a healthier and more equitable tomorrow."

The report, issued annually, tells the story of the impact that Delta Dental companies, their foundations, and community partners made last year to elevate the oral and overall health of their communities. These efforts focused on expanding access to oral health care, advancing health equity, building resilient communities, and innovating for a healthier tomorrow.

"At Delta Dental, we're focused on advancing health for everyone, which means closing the gaps in access to oral health care now and into the future," said Vivian Vasallo, Executive Director, Delta Dental Institute. "Through our mobile clinics, comprehensive care options for people with disabilities, research, and commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially in the oral health workforce, together we are helping to build a world in which everyone has a chance for a healthy smile."

Highlights from the report include:

• Expanding access to care: Delta Dental supported dental treatment and prevention programs that helped 8.2 million people achieve better oral health, including community water fluoridation projects, school sealant programs, and low or no cost oral health care for underserved communities.
  
  
• Advancing health equity: Delta Dental invested over $7.5 million to shape the next generation of the oral health workforce so it better reflects the diversity of their communities, and promoted oral health education and public awareness campaigns that reached 11.6 million people.
  
  
• Building resilient communities: Delta Dental distributed $2.9 million toward disaster relief and related activities, largely through a long-term partnership with the American Red Cross, and employees from across the country volunteered over 24,000 hours to support their communities.
  
  
• Innovating for a healthier tomorrow: The Delta Dental Institute sponsored research that found that increased communication and coordination between medical and dental providers improves health outcomes. Informed by this research, Delta Dental invested $2.2 million in medical-dental integration efforts to reduce barriers to care.

To accompany the report, Delta Dental also released a new videoand 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 at cir.deltadental.com.

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 benefits provider, covering more than 89 million Americans and offering the country's largest dental network with approximately 152,000 participating dentists. Over the last decade, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested over $1.9 billion to improve the oral and overall 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 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. Visitdeltadentalinstitute.com for more information.

SOURCE Delta Dental Institute