November 30, 2024

One in four adults with low incomes in Missouri say their mouth and teeth are in poor condition,1 while 14.6% of children ages 1-17 statewide struggle with one or more oral health problems, such as toothaches, bleeding gums, decayed teeth or cavities.2 These issues are exacerbated by a significant shortage of dental health professionals in the state. To help combat this, Delta Dental of Missouri – the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a non-profit organization – has awarded oral health grant support to 11 organizations that align with its mission to improve oral health. The company awarded a total of $300,000 in grant funding to these organizations to help further oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that are working to meet the oral health needs of children and adults in Missouri. This includes $50,000 for Care Beyond the Boulevard, $45,000 for SWOPE Health Services, $25,000 for Seton Center, $15,000 for Hope House and $10,000 for LevelUp Kids. All five organizations are located in the Kansas City area.

“On behalf of all of the patients that we serve at our Seton Center dental clinic, we thank Delta Dental for its support,” said Julie Eckstein, AVP Community Health Ministries and interim chief executive officer of Kansas City, Mo.–based Seton Center. “This funding changes lives. We have heard from our patients that the dental work they couldn’t afford on their own has allowed them to smile when they previously didn’t want to open their mouths. It has also given them self-confidence to perform well in a job interview, turning into a new job to support their family. And, it has provided improved oral health, which they know impacts the rest of their health, including reducing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

The oral health grant funding will be used by:

• Care Beyond the Boulevard to purchase dental supplies and equipment to increase the overall capacity of its free dental program for homeless, uninsured or otherwise vulnerable individuals in Jackson, Clay, Cass and Platte counties;
• SWOPE Health Services to purchase dental equipment for its Belton Dental Clinic for underserved patients of all ages in Cass, Jackson and Johnson counties;
• Seton Center to support staff salaries, purchase supplies and provide charitable care for its dental clinic serving residents with low incomes in Jackson, Clay and Ray counties;
• Hope House for the purchase of equipment and other needed supplies in support of its comprehensive dental services offered at no cost to adult and child survivors of domestic violence; and
• LevelUp Kids to help provide preventive and restorative dental care at no cost to school-aged children from families with low incomes who attend public schools in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties.

“The funded organizations are working tirelessly to help eliminate the harsh realities of oral health disparities for those they serve,” stated Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Missouri. “We’re thrilled to align with each organization to support life-changing work through our oral health grant program. Together, we can help thousands of children and adults across the state receive vital treatment and services to improve their oral health and overall well-being.”

Delta Dental of Missouri awards grants annually for general operations, programs, projects and capacity-building efforts promoting the oral health of individuals in Missouri. Objectives of its grant program include:

• Reducing oral disease through education, prevention and treatment
• Ensuring access to affordable, timely and high-quality dental care
• Enhancing the awareness of good oral health with a focus on children and individuals in need
• Making a measurable difference in the oral health of Missourians
• Helping to ensure that Missouri is among the states with the highest indicators of oral health.

To learn more, visit https://www.deltadentalmo.com/AboutUs/oral-health-grant-program.
1https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/research/hpi/oralhealthwell-being-statefacts/Missouri-Oral-Health-Well-Being.pdf
2https://health.mo.gov/living/families/mch-block-grant/pdf/oral-health.pdf

About Delta Dental of Missouri
Delta Dental of Missouri is the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. It provides more than 2.37 million members with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need. Delta Dental of Missouri also created the Missouri Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at www.DeltaDentalMO.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalMO.com.