Delta Dental gives more than $30K to support donated dental services in R.I.

PROVIDENCE – Delta Dental of Rhode Island awarded a $25,000 grant to Rhode Island Donated Dental Services through its annual challenge grant program in collaboration with the Rhode Island Dental Association. The grant matched 100 percent of dentists’ donations for 2015, up to $25,000. In addition, Delta donated an additional $6,000 in support of 12 new volunteer dentists with Rhode Island DDS.

Volunteer dentists in the program provide dental care to disabled and elderly Rhode Islanders, and to those who are suffering from severe dental problems because they cannot afford treatment. In FY 2015, Rhode Island DDS provided more than $341,000 in treatment to 98 patients.

“As a company, we continue to look for ways we can help eliminate barriers to good oral health care, particularly the barriers of access and affordability,” said Joe Nagle, Delta’s president and CEO.

The grants were made through the company’s charitable arm, the Delta Dental of Rhode Island Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.

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“We’re grateful to Delta for its support of our efforts to make sure that people with disabilities, and those who are medically fragile, get the critical dental care they need,” said Martin Nager, DMD, president of DDS. “Every dollar donated generates $10 in care through [DDS]. Through this matching grant, we’re able to provide free, comprehensive dental treatment to an increasing number of Rhode Islanders.”

“Delta’s challenge grant will help [DDS] expand its reach in providing oral health care to our state’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Lisa Wood, executive director of the Rhode Island Dental Association. “Working together, we can make sure that access and affordability don’t stand in the way of good oral health.”

In 2015, Delta Dental’s community support to improve oral health for all Rhode Islanders included awarding more than $1 million to support programs, clinics and professionals working to provide critical oral health care to those most in need across the state, as well as its sponsorship of the Rhode Island Mission of Mercy free dental clinic, the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Loan Forgiveness Program for dental professionals and donations of funds, toothbrushes and other oral health materials to various community organizations.

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