PARSIPPANY — The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation awarded nearly $1 million this year to 34 non-profit organizations based in New Jersey and Connecticut, enabling them to increase access, provide education or expand the dental health care they currently provide to children, developmentally disabled persons and senior citizens, as well as to support various community events and programs that promote the importance of good oral health and its vital role in overall wellbeing.
Founded in 1986, the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, the philanthropic arm of dental benefits provider Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., has awarded more than $17 million in grants used to support dental education programs for children, funded scholarships for students pursuing a career in the dental field and created access to dental care for underserved and uninsured populations. In March 2018, Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation was recognized by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) with a Companies that Care Award, demonstrating their commitment to corporate philanthropy.
Grants, which ranged from $1,500 to $100,000, were awarded for one-time projects, as well as multi-year projects. Some of the local organizations receiving grants this year include:
- Morristown Medical Center (Morristown), $105,000 to support dental care for children, developmentally disabled, and seniors at the hospital’s Leonard Szerlip Dental Center.
- JFK Medical Center Foundation (Edison), $77,400 to support construction of a new dental operatory for those who have suffered from traumatic brain injury.
- Newark Beth Israel (Newark), $25,000 for senior citizens to receive dentures and $50,000 to fund a dental screening program and follow-up care for seniors who have diabetes, heart disease, and/or are nutritionally compromised.
- Eva’s Village (Paterson), $100,000 to expand a new pediatric dental program for children who reside with their mothers in Eva’s homeless shelters, addiction recovery programs, transitional housing and apartments.
- Wheeler Clinic (Hartford, CT), $100,000 to establish a dental operatory adjacent to pediatrics for children in Hartford to address the shortage of dental providers in the city and the importance of early preventive oral health services.
According to the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, 15 percent of low-income adults in New Jersey say their mouth and teeth are in poor condition. What’s more, the state received a failing grade from Pew’s Charitable Trusts’ “States Stalled on Dental Sealant Program” report in 2015.
“Delta Dental is doing our part to help change the dialogue in New Jersey and Connecticut, with a focus on supporting early childhood preventive programs – instilling good oral health habits early with the goal of that leading to a lifetime of healthy smiles,” said Dennis Wilson, president and CEO of Delta Dental New Jersey. “There is massive opportunity to improve access to dental care in our state and we are 100 percent committed to bridging this gap. Working alongside these critical organizations, we’re helping reverse the trend for children and create access to dental care for people of all ages in both New Jersey and Connecticut.”
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 newly 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.
