(SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – June 23, 2025) – Today, the Delta Dental Institute released its 2024 Community Impact Report highlighting the philanthropic investments that Delta Dental companies made last year to support the oral and overall health of communities across the country. According to the report, Delta Dental of Arizona contributed $1.8 million, positively impacting 426,166 people across the state’s 15 counties.
“Delta Dental of Arizona is deeply committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the state—not only through affordable dental and vision benefits, but also through strategic, community-driven philanthropy. With a mission to create a path to better health and wellness, the organization places a strong emphasis on supporting programs that serve underserved and uninsured Arizonans,” said Michael Jones, president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Arizona and chair of the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation.
By the numbers:
- $1.8 million was donated to improve health and wellness in Arizona
- 135 Arizona nonprofits were touched by Delta Dental of Arizona’s good works
- 160,885 toothbrushes, 150,888 tubes of toothpaste, and 140,914 dental floss pods were donated in Arizona
- 1,100 hours of volunteer service were completed by Delta Dental of Arizona employees
- 55,772 children received free dental screenings through Delta Dental of Arizona
- 1.5 million meals were provided for Arizona families through Delta Dental of Arizona
“Delta Dental of Arizona leads several long-term initiatives aimed at education and access to health and wellness across Arizona, both through an annual grant program and key partnerships statewide,” Barb Kozuh, executive director of the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation.
According to Kozuh, this includes a partnership Arizona PBS to educate children on good oral health, the Delta Dental of Arizona Oral Health Clinic at St. Vincent de Paul, critical work with Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and the Banner Health Foundation Hospital Oral Care and Periodontal Disease Education (HOPE) program protocol.
“To further expand access, Delta Dental of Arizona also offers a free Dental Care Resource Guide—a publicly available directory of low-cost dental clinics across Arizona, tailored for uninsured and underinsured individuals and families.”
Nationwide, in 2024, Delta Dental companies invested more than $119 million to support programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, impacting over 15 million lives. As the nation’s largest oral health philanthropist, the Delta Dental companies are focused on closing care gaps for older adults, veterans, and rural communities, while advancing oral health education for children.
Highlights of the report:
- Improving oral health and well-being for older adults: Delta Dental companies improved the overall health of older adults by investing in programs to train caregivers in senior oral health and partnered with clinics, community centers, and long-term care facilities to provide on-site dental care.
- Closing care gaps in rural communities: Delta Dental companies provided more than 1.2 million free or low-cost dental screenings and exams, including through mobile clinics, meeting people where they live. They also distributed over 1.2 million free oral health kits with toothbrushes, floss, and toothpaste.
- Supporting veterans’ oral health: Delta Dental companies supported 35 initiatives focused on veterans. Through partnerships, Delta Dental companies invested $1.9 million to support veterans’ oral, mental, and overall health. These included programs delivering free dental care to veterans.
- Establishing lifelong oral health habits through school-based programs: Delta Dental companies invested $8 million in oral health education programs in 2024, impacting 7 million lives. We also invested $3.5 million in school sealant programs, providing preventive care to more than 165,000 children. Nearly 200 programs were put into action to improve health outcomes for children.
- Advancing the future of the oral health workforce: In 2024, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested more than $18 million to help support the next generation of the oral health workforce. This included $1.7 million in scholarships and $4 million in loan repayments. Delta Dental companies awarded nearly $1 million in 2024 to six organizations as part of the Delta Dental Future Workforce fund.
Over the past 15 years, Delta Dental companies have contributed more than $2.3 billion to improve oral and overall health nationwide. The full report is available online at www.deltadentalinstitute.com/cir.
About Delta Dental of Arizona
Delta Dental of Arizona (Delta Dental) is a health and wellness company providing affordable dental and vision benefits to individuals, families and businesses throughout the state. Building on its reputation as the state’s largest and most experienced dental insurance provider, Delta Dental’s mission is to create a path to better health and wellness. Since 2010, Delta Dental of Arizona, through its Foundation, has given over $20 million to support oral health education, disease prevention and food assistance programs for underserved and uninsured communities across the state. For more information about Delta Dental of Arizona, visit www.deltadentalaz.com.
About Delta Dental Plans Association
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation’s largest dental benefits provider, and offers the country’s largest dental network with approximately 152,000 participating dentists. Over the last decade, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested nearly $2 billion to improve the oral and overall health of our communities.
About the Delta Dental Institute
The Delta Dental Institute advances oral health for all Americans in partnership with Delta Dental companies and dedicated partners across the country. With expertise rooted in Delta Dental’s rich history of oral health leadership, we engage in and support oral health research, community outreach, and advocacy, striving to ensure that everyone understands the importance of oral health to overall health and has access to the care they need. Visit deltadentalinstitute.com for more information.