Unveiling the 2022 Community Impact Report — Our mission: your health
By: Vivian Vasallo, Executive Director, Delta Dental Institute
As the nation’s leading oral health philanthropist and largest dental benefits provider, at Delta Dental, we believe it is our responsibility to use our reach and expertise to make a meaningful impact in the communities we serve. That’s why I am so excited to share our 2022 Community Impact Report, Our mission: your health. This report highlights our work to improve the oral and overall health of our communities across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Last year, Delta Dental invested nearly $109 million in our communities and impacted more than 20 million lives by expanding access to care, advancing health equity, building resilient communities, and innovating for a healthier tomorrow.
The Delta Dental Institute (DDI) is especially focused on elevating health and wellness for those who face barriers to receiving the care they need. For example, last year we championed efforts to build a more diverse oral health workforce. Research shows that when health professionals mirror the racial and ethnic diversity of the communities they serve, it leads to improved access to care, greater patient satisfaction, and better communication between patients and providers. In 2022, Delta Dental invested over $7.5 million in scholarships and grants for dental, dental assistant, and dental hygienist students who come from traditionally underrepresented communities, as well as in culturally competent trainings and education programs for the dental workforce.
We also continued to advocate for Congress to pass the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act, which aims to improve oral and overall health by promoting oral health literacy, especially in rural and underserved communities. In partnership with media company Axios, we convened policy roundtables in Arkansas, New Hampshire, and Washington state and held robust conversations with local leaders on equitable access to health care.
To better meet the needs of families and communities, DDI is committed to funding research and technology that advances oral and overall health. Last year, we announced the Oral Health Equity Research Award to fund research that advances oral health equity and furthers our goal to improve oral health literacy for underserved populations.
We also sponsored research at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine that found that increased communication and coordination between medical and dental providers improves health outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations. Last year, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested $2.2 million in medical-dental integration efforts to help reduce barriers to oral health care.
Finally, I am inspired by our Delta Dental employees who last year volunteered over 24,000 hours to support critical local needs. Increasingly, this means responding to disasters that change the face of our communities. In 2022, we participated in disaster relief activities, sponsored blood drives, donated meals, and offered COVID-19 support and humanitarian aid. We also had the pleasure of hosting leaders from the Delta Dental companies across the country during our 2022 Community Impact Forum in Washington, D.C., and I was grateful to volunteer alongside my colleagues to assemble oral hygiene kits that were donated to local families in need.
I’m very proud of the positive impact our team and the Delta Dental companies continue to have on the communities we serve, as we work to elevate oral and overall health so everyone can enjoy a healthier tomorrow.