DELTA DENTAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA GIVES $480,000+ 
TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN 2021

Columbia, S.C. (Feb. 2, 2022) … To help meet the dental health needs of children and adults, Delta Dental of South Carolina – a leading dental benefits provider and non-profit organization – last year contributed more than $480,000 to support oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes in South Carolina. The funding is part of the organization’s annual Mission Giving Program.

“2021 was another challenging year for so many of our neighbors,” said Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of South Carolina. “By giving to a range of organizations that align with our mission to improve oral health, we can help thousands get vital dental care, supplies and services to improve their overall health and quality of life.”

During 2021, Delta Dental of South Carolina awarded $400,000 in oral health grant funding alone to 11 organizations in South Carolina:

  • Little River Medical Center (Horry) – received $63,000 to purchase new x-ray equipment for its school-based mobile dental program serving children and Head Start programs in Horry and Georgetown counties.
  • Healthy Learners (Lexington/Richland) – received $50,000 to help provide free complex dental care to Hispanic/Latinx children from families with low incomes.
  • Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg, Inc. (Spartanburg/Cherokee) – received $50,000 to support operations of its school-based, pediatric oral health program providing free care to children in need.
  • Greenville Tech Foundation (Greenville/Spartanburg) – received $50,000 to purchase equipment and supplies for its dental clinic serving patients, who are uninsured, and those with low incomes.
  • South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium – received $50,000 to support the South Carolina Rural Dentist Loan Repayment Program, which addresses South Carolina’s dental care provider shortages by contracting with dentists to treat patients in an underserved area for loan repayment assistance.
  • East Cooper Community Outreach (Charleston/Berkeley) – received $40,000 to help provide dental services through its free clinic for adults, who are uninsured.
  • HNC Living Foundation (Richland/Anderson) – received $25,000 to provide dental care access to  South Carolina residents from rural areas with head and neck cancer, who are uninsured and have low incomes.
  • Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach (Charleston) – received $25,000 to help provide dental services for residents of James, Johns and Wadmalaw Island with no insurance.
  • Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Island (Beaufort/Jasper) – received $20,000 to provide no-cost dentures for patients requiring restoration, who are uninsured and have low incomes.
  • Mercy Medicine Free Clinic (Florence/Williamsburg) – received $15,000 to help provide free dental care to adults, who are uninsured and living in poverty.
  • Midlands Technical College Foundation (Richland/Lexington) – received $12,500 to purchase supplies and equipment for its dental hygiene clinic providing preventive care to community patients, many of whom are uninsured.

In 2021, Delta Dental of South Carolina’s total charitable contributions also included:

  • Funding for Delta Dental of South Carolina’s virtual Land of Smiles® educational program, which was provided at no cost to 146 schools, teaching good dental health habits to more than 44,000 children. 
  • More than $10,000 in donations and free dental care supplies given to charitable and community organizations in South Carolina, helping to improve the oral health and overall health of residents.

Delta Dental of South Carolina is currently accepting applications for the first grant cycle of its 2022 Oral Health Grant Program. To be eligible for an oral health grant from Delta Dental of South Carolina, applicants in South Carolina must first complete a letter of inquiry through the online application system at www.deltadentalsc.com/AboutUs/oral-health-grant-program, which includes program guidelines and application instructions. Online letters of inquiry are due on February 25, 2022, and online applications are due on March 11, 2022. Applicants must be considered tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or be a public or governmental entity, such as a public school or health department, and serve the people of South Carolina.

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 330,000 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 provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care as well 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 https://www.DeltaDentalSC.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalSC.com.