DELTA DENTAL AWARDS $300,000+ TO 11 ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS ORAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AND HELP SOUTH CAROLINIANS GET VITAL CARE
COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 24, 2024) … More than 32% of South Carolina adults have not visited a dentist in the past year,1 and nearly 20% of children in kindergarten through third grade have untreated tooth decay.2 These issues are exacerbated by a significant shortage of dental health professionals in the state. To help combat this, Delta Dental of South Carolina – a 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 $304,450 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 South Carolina.
"We're incredibly thankful to Delta Dental for empowering us to reach more children in Spartanburg and Cherokee counties with vital oral healthcare," stated Dori Burgess, executive director of Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg, which received a $40,000 grant from Delta Dental of South Carolina. "Their support directly strengthens our mission to combat tooth decay—the leading childhood disease—ensuring that every child has the opportunity for a healthier, brighter future."
“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 South Carolina. “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 South Carolina awarded oral health grants to the following organizations:
• South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (Charleston) received $50,000 to support the organization’s Rural Dentist Loan Repayment Program, which improves access to care for rural/underserved South Carolinians by providing loan repayment to dentists serving in Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas like Abbeville, Allendale and Bamberg.
• Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg (Spartanburg) received $40,000 to support staff salaries and operating expenses for its Pediatric Oral Health Screening and Clinic Programs to help uninsured children gain access to oral healthcare in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties.
• Healthy Learners (Columbia) received $25,000 to help conduct dental screenings, education and follow-up care for underserved Hispanic/Latinx residents in Lexington, Richland and Greenwood counties.
• North Charleston Dental Outreach (Charleston) received $25,000 to purchase equipment and help support operating expenses for its emergent dental care clinic for the uninsured and those with low incomes in Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties.
• Catholic Charities of South Carolina (Georgetown) received $25,000 for individuals needing assistance with full or partial dentures in Charleston, Horry and Georgetown counties.
• Bluffton Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine (Bluffton) received $25,000 to help support staff salaries and purchase supplies at its Margo Dental Clinic, providing oral healthcare and education services at no cost to uninsured and underinsured residents in Beaufort and Jasper counties.
• Mercy Medical Free Clinics (Florence) received $25,000 to support staff salaries and help meet the increased demand for its no-cost dental services for uninsured adults and those with low incomes in Florence, Darlington, Dillon, Marion and Williamsburg counties.
• Dental Share Network (Clinton) received $25,000 to help provide critical dental care for residents, aged 20 and above, with low incomes in Laurens, Spartanburg and Greenville counties.
• WellPartners Dental Clinic (Columbia) received $25,000 to purchase intra-oral cameras to further the impact of its free comprehensive dental care clinic for uninsured or underinsured children and adults from families with low incomes in Richland, Fairfield and Lexington counties.
• Spartanburg Community Dental Center (Spartanburg) received $24,450 to purchase dental equipment and supplies to improve access to oral healthcare at its clinic that provides comprehensive, low-cost care to address unmet oral health needs of adults in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties.
• Greenville Free Medical Clinic (Greenville) received $15,000 to support staff salaries and purchase supplies at its free medical clinic, providing preventive and restorative dental services to uninsured patients and those with low incomes in Greenville County.
Delta Dental of South Carolina awards grants annually for general operations, programs, projects and capacity-building efforts promoting the oral health of individuals in South Carolina. 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.deltadentalsc.com/AboutUs/oral-health-grant-program.
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Explore Oral Health Data by Location/South Carolina, retrieved September 4, 2024
2https://connectingsmilessc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/sc_oral_health_plan.pdf
About Delta Dental of South Carolina
Delta Dental of South Carolina is a trade name of Delta Dental of Missouri, a dental benefits provider and a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, which operates in South Carolina under that name. It provides more than 370,000 members in South Carolina 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. It also created the South Carolina Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at www.DeltaDentalSC.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalSC.com.