Delta Dental Foundation Gives $25,000 Grant for
Michigan’s Donated Dental Services (DDS)
September 20, 2007 (Okemos, Mich.) — The Delta Dental Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana (Delta Dental), recently donated $25,000 to the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped’s (NFDH) Donated Dental Services (DDS) program in Michigan.
After learning that the DDS program in Michigan was facing an unanticipated 25 percent reduction in funding from the state, the Foundation approved the grant to ensure that the free dental services will continue to be offered through the remainder of the year. Through the DDS program, volunteer dentists provide free treatment for disabled or aged individuals in Michigan who have no other access to dental care.
“Donated Dental Services has helped improve the oral health of over 3,300 individuals in Michigan since its inception in 1995,” said Nancy E. Hostetler, senior vice president of the Delta Dental Foundation. “We are pleased to support a program that shares our goal of improving access to oral health services for those in greatest need.”
In addition to the grant, Delta Dental donates office space to the program in its Farmington Hills office, and Thomas J. Fleszar, D.D.S., M.S., president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental, serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the NFDH.
The Michigan Dental Association coordinates Michigan’s DDS program, and 805 of its members volunteer to treat DDS patients.
“We are appreciative of everything that Delta Dental of Michigan does to support the Donated Dental Services program,” said Fred J. Leviton, vice president and chief operating officer of the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped. “Because of this generous gift, 435 disabled or aged people across the state will receive $1.1 million in donated treatment from volunteer dentists and labs. This grant will allow us to continue this vital service that is especially needed in light of the serious economic problems affecting many Michigan citizens today.”
About the Donated Dental Services Program
The Donated Dental Services (DDS) program is a collaborative, direct way that the dental profession reaches out to individuals with special needs. Because of the extraordinary compassion of over 2,600 dental laboratories and 12,000 dentists across the country, DDS tends to the essential and comprehensive dental care needs of our nation’s most vulnerable people; disabled, elderly or medically-compromised individuals who cannot afford necessary treatment nor get public aid.
About the Delta Dental Foundation
The Delta Dental Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization established in 1980 by Delta Dental of Michigan, which also operates Delta Dental of Ohio and Delta Dental of Indiana. The Foundation’s goals are to support education and research for the advancement of dental science and to promote the oral health of the public through education and service activities, particularly for those with special needs. For more information, visit www.deltadentalmi.com.
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