Applications will be accepted from March 20 through May 31, 2024, at 5 PM ET. The application is available here.

Delta Dental seeks submissions that:

• Identify solutions to increase the number of youth interested in pursuing oral health careers, targeted toward school-aged children, from historically underrepresented groups.
• Include details on how the concept would be implemented for growth or how an existing program is ready to be scaled at the national level.

The Fund invites ideas that respond to one or more of the following questions:

• How will you address the lack of awareness of oral health workforce careers in historically underrepresented groups?
• How will you increase the supply of diverse candidates for oral health workforce careers?
• How will you address the obstacles faced by those from historically underrepresented communities in pursuing oral health careers?

Please email info@deltadentalinstitute.com if you have any questions.

The number of awards given in 2024 will be determined based on the merits, needs, and number of applications submitted. 

We are seeking applications to the Delta Dental Oral Health Diversity Fund by 5:00 p.m. ET, on Friday, May 31, 2024.

Those eligible include U.S.-domestic entities as defined by: 501(c)(3) organizations; private businesses such as a corporation; or limited or general partnerships. Ineligible entities include Delta Dental companies and staff; non-U.S. entities; and individuals.

Yes, applicants who were not selected last year can apply again, as long as the organization meets the eligibility requirements. Please email info@deltadentalinstitute.com if you have any questions about your eligibility.

We are continuing to invest in comprehensive solutions, innovative pilots, developed ideas, or proven, scalable models that address barriers that many historically underrepresented groups face in pursuing careers in oral health. We are looking for programs that inspire school-aged children to consider professional opportunities in oral health – including careers as dentists, orthodontists and other specialists, hygienists, technicians, and more. Please email info@deltadentalinstitute.com if you have any questions about your application.

We are continuing to invest in comprehensive solutions, innovative pilots, developed ideas, or proven, scalable models that address barriers that many historically underrepresented groups face in pursuing careers in oral health. 

In 2024, the Fund will once again support programs that inspire school-aged children to consider professional opportunities in oral health – including careers as dentists, orthodontists and other specialists, hygienists, technicians, and more. 

Organizations should include their needed funding amount within the application, and the amount awarded will be determined based on the merits, needs, and number of applications submitted.

Four awards were distributed, totaling $725,000. 

• Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships, whose Diversify Dentistry Youth Summit™, offers high school students from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds hands-on experiences, educational insights, and mentorship to inspire them to consider a career in dentistry. The Diversify Dentistry Youth Summit™ toolkit will be expanded to serve as a guide for dental schools to host similar events.
• Hispanic Dental Association, whose program, BOLD: Building Our Leaders in Dentistry, is a pre-dental school mentorship program designed to introduce dentistry as a career option to students and influence more underrepresented minorities to enter the profession. Outreach presentations and workshops will be geared toward Head Start, elementary school, high school, or undergraduate students.   
• NAF, whose health workforce development academy will be expanded to include oral health. The program, Promoting Oral Health Pathways, helps students explore career options and take part in hands-on, work-based learning with experts in the field while envisioning solutions and developing skills to make informed decisions about their futures. 
• Society of American Indian Dentists, whose program, Telling the Story of a Path to Dentistry: Connecting AI/AN Dentists with AI/AN Youth, will address the lack of dentist role models in AI/AN communities through AI/AN dentists serving as volunteer oral health ambassadors to Native high school students. Armed with specifically-tailored guidance materials including training modules, SAID ambassadors will provide presentations in their community high schools, telling the story of their journey to become a dentist, and inspiring more Native youth to consider and work toward a career in dentistry.

The awardees were selected based on the merit of the applications submitted. The Delta Dental Institute engaged internal and external subject matter experts from across the country with deep expertise in this space to support the evaluation process. We will continue this selection process for 2024.

Yes, there is a “save and resume” feature built into the application. 

Yes, you can upload attachments to the application. 

You will receive a confirmation email when you submit your application, which will include more information.  

The Delta Dental Oral Health Diversity Fund does not make awards or loans to individuals.