Community Impact

Our impact

Oral health is a critical, yet often overlooked, component of overall health and wellness. That’s why, as the nation’s leading oral health philanthropist, Delta Dental works tirelessly to elevate the importance of oral and overall health in communities across the country.

Delta Dental invests in programs, research, and advocacy that expand access to care, inspire the next generation of the oral health workforce, and improve health outcomes in communities across the country.

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Community impact

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15.6 million

lives impacted

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$119.7 million

invested

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$60.2 million

invested in direct oral care

Community spotlight

Delta Dental is proud of the numerous and varied oral health projects undertaken across our 39 companies. We regularly rotate community spotlights below and invite you to explore the work of Delta Dental in your state through the search function at the bottom of this page.

Training caregivers in older adults' oral healthcare

Hawaii Dental Service Foundation supported the Kupuna Smiles program, which addresses the oral health needs of older adults in long-term care facilities by offering hands-on oral health training for nurses. In 2024, over 400 nurses and caregivers were trained in long-term care facilities statewide. 

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Proctecting athletes teeth through mouth guard program

Delta Dental of Kentucky supported its Smile Champions Program, which provides athletic programs with free, quality mouthguards to protect athletes’ teeth and advance oral health in the state. Delta Dental of Kentucky, along with employee support, has distributed more than 150,000 athletic mouthguards to youth athletes across the Bluegrass state since 2023.

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Providing quality oral health care to veterans

Delta Dental of North Carolina supported the ECU School of Dental Medicine's Smiles for Veterans event, which provides preventive care and necessary procedures, including fillings, extractions, and more, at no cost to veterans who do not have access to dental care. The funding helped provide quality oral health care to veterans in need, as only about 10% of veterans qualify for dental benefits from the Veterans Administration, and an estimated 90,000 veterans live in poverty in North Carolina.

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Our mission in action

Delta Dental of Arizona

Delta Dental of Missouri

Delta Dental of South Dakota

Improving the oral health of communities

As the nation’s largest oral health philanthropist, Delta Dental has remained dedicated to expanding access to oral health care, which is critical to preventing chronic disease and supporting whole-person health. In 2024, Delta Dental invested $119.7 million to support programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, impacting 15.6 million lives. 

Enter your state above to find out what we're doing in your community.

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Community Impact Report archive

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