PARSIPPANY — The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., was honored to receive a Community Service Award at New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA)’s 2018 Awards for Excellence Reception on October 24. The NJBIA commended the Foundation’s efforts in providing dental services and education to the underserved and the uninsured. Delta Dental of New Jersey was one of 13 executives and businesses recognized at The Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset award reception.
The award recognized the various ways the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation and Delta Dental’s employees gave back to the community by contributing to food and clothing drives, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, and participating in fundraising walks for oral and breast cancer awareness. This year, the Foundation awarded nearly $1 million to 34 New Jersey and Connecticut non-profit organizations dedicated to improving dental care. In 2017, the Foundation’s grants provided nearly 10,000 children, seniors, and developmentally disabled individuals with dental services and education.
“It brings me great joy to see Delta Dental of New Jersey and our Foundation recognized by NJBIA for giving back to the community and ensuring our state’s most at-need populations receive the oral health care they require,” said Dennis Wilson, president and CEO of Delta Dental of New Jersey.
Key 2018 Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation events and initiatives included:
• Observing National Children’s Dental Health Month in February by partnering with KinderSmile Foundation for “Give Kids a Smile” Day and celebrating Children’s Dental Health Awareness Day by partnering with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and Hudson County Dental Society with an oral health themed carnival at Liberty Science Center;
• Hosting its 28th Annual Golf Classic in May that raised $77,000 for Special Olympics of New Jersey (SONJ);
• Teaming up with Zufall Health and the New Jersey Dental Association in November to provide veterans with free dental care at the second annual Smiles for Our Heroes Event.
Dr. Gene Napoliello, chairman of the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation Board, accepted the Community Service Award on behalf of Delta Dental of New Jersey. Zufall Health Center, the New Jersey Dental Association, KinderSmile Foundation, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Hudson County Dental Society, and Special Olympics New Jersey were also acknowledged for the role they played in helping Delta Dental of New Jersey achieve the award.
Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc. is New Jersey’s leading dental benefits company, providing or administering coverage to more than 1.7 million people through contracts with groups in New Jersey and Connecticut. In Connecticut, Delta Dental of Connecticut, Inc. is a licensed insurer that writes dental coverage on an insured basis, and Delta Dental of New Jersey administers self-funded dental benefit programs. For more information click here.
