Oklahoma City – Delta Dental of Oklahoma (DDOK), along with its Foundation, recently extended its support for children’s dental health by bringing its Cavity Prevention Clinics to Calvin Coolidge and Martin Van Buren Elementary Schools within the Oklahoma City Public School District.
At Coolidge Elementary, 79 second-grade students benefited from oral health education and received brush kits.
Additionally, 27 students received dental assessments, fluoride varnish, and/or sealants during the clinic. The initiative was also hosted at Van Buren Elementary, where 58 second graders received the same educational resources, and 30 students received preventive dental treatments. These services, valued at $13,497, were offered completely free of charge to the students and schools.
“As 2024 comes to a close, we’re empowering Oklahoma’s children with healthy smiles to start the new year,” said Terrisa Singleton, director of the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation.
Singleton added, “Beyond providing preventive care at school, our clinics also connect children to local dentists for follow-up treatment, emphasizing the importance of regular dental visits. By offering education and preventive care, we help students form lasting, healthy habits.”
Cavities, one of the most preventable diseases, often begin in childhood. Dental sealants are a critical tool in protecting molars—the teeth most prone to decay.
The DDOK Foundation’s Cavity Prevention Clinic program is designed to eliminate barriers to dental care for students in Oklahoma. The clinics target public schools where at least 70% of students participate in the Federal Free and Reduced Meal program. Services are provided at no cost to the schools or families, offering all second- and sixth-grade students dental assessments, brush kits, and preventive care, regardless of income or insurance status.
The Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation is the state’s largest contributor to dental health initiatives. In addition to the Cavity Prevention Clinics, the Foundation supports various educational programs like Captain Supertooth and MouthScience kits, which teach children about oral health across Oklahoma. The Foundation also funds scholarships and research stipends for dental students at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and provides vital funding for free dental clinics.
For more than 50 years, Delta Dental of Oklahoma has been the leading provider of dental benefits in the state, serving over one million members and 9,300 Oklahoma-based businesses. The company’s nonprofit Foundation, established in 1998, works to improve the oral health of all Oklahomans by offering free dental care, funding low-cost clinics, and educating children about the importance of dental hygiene and disease prevention.
