The Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation announced it has awarded $502,973 in grants to 21 nonprofit and community organizations for projects supporting oral health.
The grants range from $5,000 to $40,000 each and fund projects that serve mainly low-income, uninsured and underserved residents. Projects include a series of public service announcements about oral health, free dental hygiene kits for seniors, and dental care for cancer patients.
"Lack of equitable access to dental care and oral health education remains a problem in Arkansas, especially in rural areas of the state and for low-income residents," Chrissy Jennings, the foundation's executive director, said in a news release. "These grants will help provide oral health services where needed most and greatly improve the recipients' quality of life."
Organizations receiving grants for programs with a primary focus on oral health education include:
- Arkansas PBS Foundation, statewide
- Hispanic Community Services, northeast Arkansas
- Literacy Council of Bowie and Miller Counties, southwest Arkansas
- P.A.R.K. Foundation Inc., central Arkansas
- Pediatric Plus Community Connections, central Arkansas
- Songbird Multimedia and Performing Arts, central Arkansas
- University of Arkansas Fort Smith Foundation, northwest Arkansas
- White River Area Agency on Aging, north central Arkansas
Organizations receiving grants for projects with a primary focus on dental treatment services include:
- CARTI Foundation, statewide
- Community Dental Clinic, northwest Arkansas
- Harmony Health Clinic, central Arkansas
- Mountain Home Christian Clinic, north central Arkansas
- Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter, northwest Arkansas
- River City Ministry of Pulaski County, central Arkansas
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma, northwest Arkansas
- Samaritan Community Center, northwest Arkansas
- Shepherd's Hope Neighborhood Medical Center, central Arkansas
- St. Francis House NWA, northwest Arkansas
- Gurdon School District, southwest Arkansas
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Foundation, central Arkansas
- WelcomeHealth, northwest Arkansas
