RALEIGH — The Delta Dental Foundation (DDF), the charitable arm of Delta Dental of North Carolina, has awarded $157,768 in cash and in-kind contributions to 39 nonprofit organizations across the state as part of its Smiles for Kids program. Among the recipients is High Country Community Health, which will receive $5,000 to expand dental care access for 375 children in Watauga County.
The Smiles for Kids initiative funds dental services and educational programs aimed at improving children’s oral health.
This year, nearly 41,000 children across North Carolina will benefit from these grants.
“Nearly one in five North Carolina kindergartners has untreated tooth decay, the highest rate we’ve seen in five years,” said Curt Ladig, president and CEO of Delta Dental of North Carolina. “Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease. We hope these grants will increase access to dental care and oral health education for children who need it most.
After all, everyone deserves a healthy smile.”
The DDF’s Smiles for Kids program focuses on preventive dental care and supports safety-net dental clinics and nonprofits that provide critical services, particularly for children in underserved communities. This year, the foundation worked to simplify the funding application process and reached out directly to organizations in Western North Carolina, including those affected by Hurricane Helene. As a result, four grants totaling $20,000 were awarded in that region.
Since the program launched in 2011, DDF has invested over $1 million in children’s oral health initiatives, benefiting more than 500,000 children and families across more than half of North Carolina’s counties.
