Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation Awards Grant Recipients
Delta Dental of Minnesota and Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation approved the largest number of grant recipients, totaling $2,472,500 in giving. Awarded grants are intended for statewide reach with particular interest in rural Minnesota areas. Funds are distributed to fulfill the mission of improving the oral health of the people of Minnesota and to improve and advance the science and art of oral health in Minnesota.
Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $2,255,000 to programming that supports the mission of improving oral health in Minnesota. The inviteonly applicants support causes to help address access in Minnesota through preventive and educational services, workforce strategies and by optimizing the capacity of the safety net oral health system to help the underserved. This year’s grant awards had particular focus on safety net innovation (*denoted below). Strategic investments in the safety net system promote medical and dental integration. These grants will increase utilization of cost-effective outpatient and community-based oral health services and reduce total costs by decreasing avoidable dental crises, dental emergency room visits and preventable, expensive restorative services.
Complete list of Delta Dental Foundation grants included below.
Cancer Legal Line, Statewide Minnesota, $50,000 Legal Triage for Cancer Survivors:
Provide support to oral cancer patients and survivors experiencing legal complications as a direct result of their cancer diagnosis or treatment.
*Cedar Riverside People’s Center, Inc., Twin Cities Metro, $230,000
Integrated Health Care Model: Support through co-location of a dental therapist into the medical clinic to serve pediatric and adult diabetic patients as well as creation of a health information technology analyst position.
*Cook Area Health Services, Inc., NE Minnesota, $300,000
Dental – Medical Integration Project: Build a new integrated care model and delivery system.
*Just Kids Dental, NE Minnesota, $150,000
Connecting the Doctors for Healthy Smiles: Co-location of registered dental hygienists within Essential Health Pediatrics to provide preventive oral health services and referrals to area dental providers.
*Lake Superior Community Health Center, NE Minnesota, $300,000
Integrating Oral Health and Primary Care: Workforce development through creation of new oral health coordinator position and upgrades to electronic health records.
Minnesota Alliance with Youth, Statewide Minnesota, $30,000
Serve a Smile Grant Program: Award health-related youth service grants and in-kind donations to youth-led sites throughout Minnesota.
Minnesota Department of Health, Statewide Minnesota, $150,000
Minnesota Oral Health Surveillance System: Continued development and maintenance of the Minnesota Oral Health Surveillance System.
Minnesota Department of Health, Statewide Minnesota, $75,000
Oral Health Status of Minnesota Third Graders: Conduct a statewide basic screening survey with analysis to evaluate the impact of preventive interventions over time as related to the oral health status of Minnesota third graders.
*Open Door Health Center, SW and SE Minnesota, $250,000
Safety Net Innovation Project: Improve integration between dental care and primary care in the medical department. Special
Olympics of Minnesota, Statewide Minnesota, $20,000
Special Smiles: Free dental screenings, oral health education and mouth guards for Special Olympics of Minnesota athletes as part of the Healthy Athletes program.
*University of Minnesota Foundation, Statewide Minnesota, $300,000
Integrating Dental and Medical Care Through Telehealth Network: Create connectivity between the University with rural and urban communities to provide critical integrated medical and dental care.
University of Minnesota Foundation, Twin Cities Metro, $100,000
Native American Community Clinic - Dental Clinic: Continue to increase the access to oral health care for urban based Native American children, ages 0-18, within the clinic’s service area.
*West Side Community Health Services, Twin Cities Metro, $300,000
Increasing access to oral health care and immunization preventive services: Integrate oral health screenings into medical protocol and hire a community health worker for the dental clinic to assist with unmet immunization needs.
Delta Dental of Minnesota Community Benefit awarded 12 responsive grants totaling $217,500 to programming that supports the mission of improving oral health in Minnesota. Non-profit organizations were encouraged to apply for grants that support critical areas of access, workforce, prevention and education to support the Delta Dental of Minnesota mission.
A list of Delta Dental of Minnesota Community Benefit grants included below.
Boys and Girls Club of Central Minnesota, Greater Minnesota, $10,000
Project Healthy Smiles- Healthy Kids: Creation of a Cavity Free Zone, teaching youth the importance of proper dental hygiene habits.
Boys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area, NW Minnesota, $10,000
Cavity Prevention Zone: Establish and maintain the Cavity Free Zone, a program promoting dental health and hygiene for disadvantaged youth ages 6-18.
Doorstep Healthcare Services, Twin Cities Metro, $40,000
Community Outreach Project: Develop partnerships and expand services to provide dental care in more assisted living facilities in both urban and rural settings, and also expand mobile care program.
HealthFinders Collaborative, SE Minnesota, $20,000
Access to Oral Health: Provide program start-up costs to improve access to free oral and preventive dental health care services at the Faribault clinic.
Homeward Bound, Twin Cities Metro, $5,000
Camp Experience: Provide scholarships to low-income adults with severe developmental disabilities.
Initiative Foundation, Central Minnesota, $40,000
Early Childhood Dental Network in Central Minnesota: Support to respond to oral health challenges in Central Minnesota.
National Children’s Oral Health Foundation, North Dakota, $25,000
North Dakota Oral Health Zone: Implementation of the Oral Health Zone Signature Programs to drive positive oral health behaviors and reach at-risk children and families through educational, preventive and restorative services with a focus on Fargo, ND, Moorhead, MN and surrounding communities.
Northland Foundation, NE Minnesota, $20,000
Expansion of Rural Community-Based Early Childhood Oral Health and Nutrition Educational Sessions Project: Promote the oral health, overall health and social emotional development of young children through providing training sessions for caregivers.
Prince of Peace, Twin Cities Metro, $2,500
Mission Outpost Dental Clinic: Provide funding for the new dental clinic in Burnsville, MN to serve patients that lack access to dental care.
Southside Community Health Services, Twin Cities Metro, $20,000
Nursing Home and St. Croix Valley Dental Van: Provide mobile dental visits at Southside Community Health Service’s primary care clinic in Stillwater and Twin Cities metro area nursing homes.
Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota, Twin Cities Metro, $10,000
Immigrant Oral Health Promotion Project: Support to provide oral health and health education programs with a focus on at-risk children.
For more information on the grantees, Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation or Delta Dental of Minnesota, visit www.deltadentalmn.org.
About the Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation:
Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation is designed to support Delta Dental of Minnesota's mission of improving the oral health of the people in Minnesota and advancing the science and art of oral health in Minnesota. The Delta Dental of Minnesota Foundation supports initiatives that promote access to oral health and, in turn, improve the overall health and vitality of our community.
About Delta Dental of Minnesota:
Delta Dental of Minnesota is an independent, tax-exempt, nonprofit health services company that serves the oral health needs of Minnesota and North Dakota residents. Since 1969, Delta Dental of Minnesota has accomplished this mission by providing the best access across the state to oral health care through affordable dental plans. Delta Dental is an authorized licensee of the Delta Dental Plans Association of Oak Brook, Illinois. To learn more, go to www.deltadentalmn.org.