Dec. 18, 2023
Each agency receives $10,000 to improve dental health for children in rural communities
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks, with support from Delta Dental of Missouri, has granted a total of $130,000 to improve dental health for children in rural communities across central and southern Missouri.
Each of the following agencies received $10,000 to support their projects:
- Aurora High School YEP/Alumni Outreach Center, to partner with Children’s Smile Center to provide dental health screenings and hygiene packages to the Aurora, Verona and Marionville school districts.
- Bright Futures Carthage, to establish a fund to provide dental care for students in need.
- Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation, to create and distribute 400 dental hygiene kits to students throughout the year.
- Care to Learn, to support emergent dental needs for students and provide dental hygiene education in 29 rural school districts.
- Children’s Smile Center, to perform dental screenings on students at 20 school districts in Christian, Stone, Taney, Lawrence, Dade and Barry counties.
- Faith Inc. of Oregon County, to partner with Alton R-IV School District and the Big Smiles mobile unit to provide dental exams for students who are financially unable to access care.
- Fordland Clinic, to stock the dental office and mobile unit with equipment and dental hygiene supplies for students in Webster and Stone counties.
- Four Rivers Community Health Center, to purchase a handheld X-ray unit for the Smile Bus mobile unit to serve students in Rolla and central Missouri.
- Kansas City University, to provide dental hygiene supplies and follow-up care to students of low-income families who attend elementary schools in Newton and McDonald counties.
- Lester E. Cox Medical Center, to provide non-routine dental care through Children’s Miracle Network for families in 40 rural school districts.
- Pierce City School District, to establish a fund to provide dental care for students in need and distribute dental hygiene supplies.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks, to provide dental care and prevention education through the Tooth Truck mobile unit to the Amish community in the Seymour area.
- Santa’s Toy Drive, to purchase dental hygiene supplies and support costs of dental care for children in Christian County.
Second graders in Pierce City celebrate the school district’s $10,000 grant from the Delta Dental Rural Youth program.
Delta Dental of Missouri contributed $100,000 for the grant program, which was supplemented by $30,000 from the CFO’s unrestricted grantmaking funds.
“Every child deserves a healthy and pain-free smile so they can truly thrive,” said Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of Missouri. “We are excited to partner with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks to support more than a dozen organizations and help children get vital dental care to improve their overall health, quality of life and self-esteem.”
“We appreciate Delta Dental of Missouri’s generous support for this program,” said Ashley Fleming, grant program officer for the CFO. “The dental care, education and supplies provided by these agencies will help thousands of rural students across our region achieve healthier outcomes.”
About Delta Dental of Missouri
Delta Dental of Missouri is the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization. It provides more than 2.1 million members with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need.
