San Francisco - The holding company system that includes Delta Dental of California, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and several affiliated Delta Dental Plans announced today an expansion of its community contributions program, resulting in even greater support for dental clinics in multiple states designed to meet the unmet dental needs of low-income, working families.
Officials with Delta Dental of California say the company is committing $172,000 this year, primarily in the form of grants to dental clinics that provide care directly to those who lack access to affordable care. Another $225,000 is being dedicated by Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and its affiliates to similar clinics in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The list of cities where clinics will receive grants in California include Fresno, Merced, Napa, Oakland, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, Sonora and Torrance. In the mid-Atlantic area, grants have been made to 12 locations in Pennsylvania, three in New York, two in Delaware, two in West Virginia, one in Maryland and another in the District of Columbia.
"We are keeping our focus on supporting dental professionals who provide care directly to those who would not otherwise be able to afford treatment," said Marilynn Belek, DMD, Delta Dental's chief dental officer for both the California and Pennsylvania Delta Plans. "We recognize that a significant number of untreated Americans are working people who do not have dental insurance, cannot afford to buy coverage, and are ineligible for government-supported supported insurance programs."
According to a recent report from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, 18.5 million adult workers were uninsured in 2001, as were many additional millions of dependent spouses and children. This, according to the report, is because " not all businesses offer health benefits, not all workers qualify for coverage, and many employees cannot afford their share of the premiums." Public health advocates estimate there are roughly twice as many Americans without dental insurance, as there are without medical benefits.
The dental clinic grants awarded range in size from $5,000 to $30,000. For a complete list of the selected clinics and organizations, visit www.deltadentalca.org/news/grantlist.pdf.
The holding company system that includes Delta Dental of California and Delta Dental of Pennsylvania will collectively contribute nearly $400,000 this year to dental clinics that offer care to low-income patients. Additional contributions will support the distribution of oral health services and supplies, educational scholarships for promising dental students and continuing education for dental professionals. Total charitable contributions from the enterprise, including in-kind services, are estimated to exceed $1.5 million.
Delta Dental of California and Delta Dental of Pennsylvania are both part of the Delta Dental Plans Association, the nation's largest dental benefits system, which jointly covers about 46 million of the estimated 160 million Americans with dental insurance.