Delta Dental leads in continuing to address health disparities through oral health-related support across the country during COVID-19 outbreak
OAK BROOK, Ill. — June 16, 2020 — Today, Delta Dental Plans Association announced that Delta Dental companies continue to launch a wide range of programs and funding initiatives across the country in response to the COVID-19 outbreak to support America’s oral health and overall health.
To ensure continued access to oral health care and address health care disparities throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Delta Dental companies are engaged in a variety of support efforts. These efforts, which meet the unique needs of each community, include providing critical funding for community health centers, safety-net dental clinics, non-profits focused on health and wellness, and food banks. Delta Dental’s commitment to community resiliency also includes support to ensure that dental offices, many of which are small businesses, can continue to safely deliver oral health care as offices reopen for non-emergency services across the country.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has ignited a new level of national dialogue concerning health care disparities and the urgent need to address these disparities head-on. As the nation’s leading dental insurance provider, our priority is to ensure the oral health and safety of the communities in which we live and serve, and our System’s COVID-19 response efforts are just one part of a dedicated effort to expand access to oral health care – because we believe everyone deserves a healthy smile,” said Steve Olson, President & CEO of the Delta Dental Plans Association.
To date, Delta Dental companies have committed more than $385 million to these types of community and public health efforts and continue to develop innovative and impactful ways to support and serve during the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest information on what Delta Dental is doing in your community can be found here. For more information on oral health care during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit Delta Dental’s COVID-19 webpage.
About Delta Dental Plans Association
Delta Dental Plans Association, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, is the non-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation’s largest provider of dental insurance, covering more than 80 million Americans, and offering the country’s largest dental network with approximately 156,000 participating dentists. In 2018, the Delta Dental companies provided approximately $79 million in direct and in-kind support to improve the oral health of adults, children, and infants in local communities across the country. For more information, visit: deltadental.com.
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