DAEOC in Sikeston Receives $75,000 from Delta Dental of Missouri

To help meet the dental health needs of children and adults, Delta Dental of Missouri – the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a non-profit organization – awarded a $75,000 oral health grant to Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation (DAEOC) in Sikeston. The funds will be used for Project Ashley’s Smile, which enables follow-up dental treatment for those identified through its Innovate Readiness Training events.

The funding is part of Delta Dental of Missouri’s 2023 mission giving initiatives, which included awarding more than $492,000 in oral health grants to 15 organizations to support oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes across the state.

“Patients are extremely grateful for this grant. Some are now able to get dentures and much-needed dental work for the first time ever,” said Tiffany Minnis, a staff member for DAEOC. “Providers are thankful for this grant as well. It gives them the opportunity to give back to the community by helping those in need.”

“So many of our neighbors suffer without access to critical dental care,” said Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of Missouri. “By donating grants to a variety of organizations, which align with our mission to improve oral health—like DAEOC—together we can help thousands of people get vital treatment and services to enhance their overall health and quality of life.”

The company awards grants twice annually for general operations, programs, projects and capacity-building efforts promoting the oral health of individuals in Missouri. Objectives of its grant program include:

• Reducing oral disease through education, prevention and treatment

• Ensuring access to affordable, timely and high-quality dental care

• Enhancing the awareness of good oral health with a focus on children and individuals in need

• Making a measurable difference in the oral health of Missourians

• Helping to ensure that Missouri is among the states with the highest indicators of oral health

Delta Dental of Missouri also awarded $190,000 in grants to five organizations in South Carolina, where it also does business. To learn more, visit https://www.deltadentalmo.com/AboutUs/oral-health-grant-program.