LITTLE ROCK, Ar. (January 23, 2019) – Forty local nonprofit and community organizations will start the year with a smile thanks in part to grant funding from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. Through its Community Grants program, the Foundation will award more than $1 million to support programs and services across the state, a record in the organization’s 13-year history. Funding will potentially impact the lives and improve the oral health of hundreds of thousands of Arkansans.

After a thorough board-reviewed application process, grantees were selected based on a number of criteria, including the number of at-risk children or adults served by the program, the level of community engagement in providing oral health prevention and treatment, and the ability to measure success and long-term results.

“This marks a banner year in charitable giving for the Foundation,” said Chrissy Chatham, executive director of the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. “Our Community Grants program affirms our commitment to transform communities across Arkansas. We’re proud to support accessible, equitable oral health care and will continue to advocate for improved oral health outcomes for all.”

A few of the 2019 Community Grantees include:

Arkansas Minority Health Commission (AMHC) ($13,300) – to support statewide oral health screenings on the AMHC mobile health unit and provide educational materials surrounding the prevention of oral and medical diseases.

• CARTI ($30,000) – to support the onsite dental clinic which provides oral surgery services to low-income head and neck cancer patients prior to beginning treatment with radiation therapy. 
• Fayetteville Public School District ($14,450) – to provide school-based oral health services to students in need through the Fayetteville Youth Dental Program.
• Harmony Health Clinic ($25,700) – to support a prosthetics clinic which provides free dentures to low income patients.
• Mid America Science Museum ($8,000) – to support ongoing oral health education presentations in conjunction with theOaklawn Foundation Dino Trek exhibition.

For a complete list of grantees or more information about the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation Community Grants, visit the Community Grants Page.

About the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation

The Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation is committed to fulfilling Delta Dental’s mission to improve the oral health of Arkansans. Since 2015, the Foundation has contributed an average of $3 million dollars annually to support oral health programs and initiatives. By investing in education, prevention and treatment, we are working to make Arkansas healthier, one smile at a time. For more oral health news and information, visit www.DeltaDentalAR.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram at @DeltaDentalAR.

###