Smiles make a difference
2021 Community Impact Report
More about our community impact:
1 The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation has awarded more than $21 million in grants since 1986 in New Jersey and Connecticut. We awarded SMILE grants to six major dental care programs in Connecticut in 2021:
- Senior Smiles at the University of Bridgeport
- Dental Lifeline Network throughout the state
- Connecticut Mission of Mercy, throughout the state
- Yale New Haven Hospital
- Wheeler Clinic, Hartford
- Hall Neighborhood House, Bridgeport
2 In addition to the SMILE grants, the Foundation also awards mini-grants. Soft Bones is using its mini-grant to educate patients and dentists about hypophosphatasia. HPP is a rare metabolic disease that affects the development of bones and teeth.
3 The University of Bridgeport’s Senior Smiles program provides free basic dental care for seniors age 65 and older. Many senior citizens lack regular access to dental care. Programs like Senior Smiles ensure people can continue looking after their oral health in retirement.
4 Yale New Haven Hospital is making a dental home for 350 children in Head Start programs. All aspects of their oral health care will be delivered at the dental home. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry says that dental homes are critical for helping “children and their families institute a lifetime of good oral health.” Foundation funding is providing portable dental supplies and equipment.
5 The University of Connecticut Foundation’s Open Wide for Veterans Day program provided free dental care for veterans, kicking off their program in November 2021. Many veterans cannot afford regular dental care, which can impact both their oral and overall health. The Foundation supports programs like UCONN’s, which help support those who served our country.
6 Foundation funding enabled more than 1,700 people in Connecticut to receive free dental care. Care was delivered through organizations such as the Hall Neighborhood House’s newly established dental clinic in Bridgeport, the Dental Lifeline Network throughout the state, and the Connecticut Mission of Mercy Free Dental Clinic. All provide care to underserved populations.
7 Treating those with developmental and intellectual disabilities often requires special training and equipment. A Foundation grant helped provide supportive dental equipment and supplies to Norwalk Hospital’s Accessible Smiles program. Wheeler Clinic in Hartford is using its SMILE grant to train dental professionals on treating those with intellectual disabilities, including autism
8 Catch My Breath – CT, one Foundation-supported program, is educating more than 5,000 students and 20 educators about the oral and overall health consequences of vaping.