Grant Recipients

Organizations selected by the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation to apply for IMPACT Grants in 2023 were chosen based on the oral health program's demonstrated impact in the community, melding of services and education, plus the number of lives that are touched by the program. In addition, the organizations have proven to be faithful stewards of at least three years of Delta Dental of Arizona grant funds in the past. Each program will receive $50,000 in 2023 and 2024 to support these programs.

El Rio Community Health Center

$100,000 IMPACT Grant 2022 - 2023 - El Rio Health Children's Dental Embedded Expansion Program 

Website: elrio.org
Contact: Oscar A. De La Torrez, Health Center Manager

El Rio Health Children’s Dental Embedded Expansion Program provides preventative oral health services and education to over 8,000 children a year by expanding embedded dental hygiene teams at El Rio’s health centers. Care provided includes dental screenings, fluoride varnish treatments, bilingual oral health education and dental supplies. 

Esperanca 

$100,000 IMPACT Grant 2022 - 2023 - Learning with a Smile

Website: esperanca.org
Contact: Maria Valenzuela, Health & Wellness Program Director 

Esperança’s Learning with A Smile Program provides oral health education and dental supplies to under-resourced Latino children, their parents, and aging adults in Maricopa and Yuma Counties. Bilingual educators conduct programs in Title I schools, affordable housing communities, churches, and senior centers in predominantly Latino communities.

Tooth BUDDS
$100,000 IMPACT Grant 2022 - 2023 - Tooth BUDDS

Website: toothbudds.org
Contact: MiQuel McRae, Executive Director

Tooth B.U.D.D.S. (Bringing Understanding of Dental Disease to Schools) is a school-based dental hygiene program serving children in Graham and Greenlee Counties of Southeast Arizona. Along with educating children about their oral health, Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienists provide dental screenings, cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, Silver Diamine Fluoride applications and S.M.A.R.T. restorations free of charge to students in grades K-6^th.

Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation Community Grants support programs and organizations statewide that provide oral health education and services for all ages of uninsured and underserved populations.

A New Leaf
$20,000 - Healthy Smiles for Life - Oral Health Education for Children and Adults

Website: turnanewleaf.org
Contact: Laura Bode, Director of Community & Civic Engagement

A New Leaf's Healthy Smiles for Life program provides dental hygiene education and supplies for adults and school-age children from low-income and un/underinsured households. The program will impact approximately 570 children and youth and 550 adults served by A New Leaf's after school, homeless and family shelter, supportive and affordable housing, and early childhood education programs. Healthy Smiles for Life emphasizes preventative oral health care and provides referrals for treatment to prevent dental disease and serious oral health issues.

Adelante Healthcare
$20,000- Dental to Pediatric Integration Program 

Website: adelantehealthcare.com 
Contact: James Workman, Dental Area of Operations Manager 

Adelante’s Dental to Pediatric Integration (DTPI) Program promotes good oral health and prevents dental disease in children and youth, with emphasis in underserved and uninsured communities. DTPI is executed in the pediatric medical department during a well child visit. Integration services offered by affiliated practice hygienists embedded in the medical clinic include: an oral screening, a caries risk assessment, toothbrush prophy cleaning, fluoride treatment and oral hygiene education. Each child leaves with a Smile Bag containing a toothbrush/finger brush, toothpaste & floss. 

Arizona Dental Foundation
$15,000 - Give Kids a Smile

Website: azdentalfoundation.org
Contact: Ava Evans, Director

Give Kids a Smile is an American Dental Association initiative designed to reduce school absenteeism by eliminating oral pain and infection in underserved elementary age students. This age group is specifically targeted to address decay issues through restoration on primary and permanent teeth while applying sealants on erupting permanent teeth. The Arizona Dental Foundation has been hosting these charity treatment events at dental and hygiene schools and community centers statewide for almost 20 years.

A.T. Still University (ATSU) - Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH) CEO Clinic
$30,000 – ATSU-ASDOH’s Clinical Education & Outreach (CEO) Clinic

Website: atsu.edu
Contact: Dr. Scott Howell, DMD, MPH, Associate Professor, Director of Public Health Dentistry & Teledentistry

ASDOH’s Clinical Education & Outreach Clinic provides preventive and restorative oral health services to veterans and eligible uninsured, low-income, and fixed-income adults in Pinal and Maricopa Counties. Along with routine hygiene, dentures, partials, crowns, and other much-needed care, the Clinic’s oral health professionals provide education to improve patient understanding of the connection between oral and overall health.

Back-to-School Clothing Drive
$15,000 - New Clothes, New Beginnings- Dental Program

Website: backtoschoolclothingdrive.com
Contact: Karl Gentles, Executive Director

The BTSCD Dental Program provides 5,000 low-income elementary school students oral health education, dental screenings, fluoride treatments, and take-home dental supplies during our annual distribution event at Grand Canyon University. We serve children from Title I schools, transitional housing, domestic abuse shelters and foster care.

Children’s Museum of Phoenix
$15,000 - “Back to School” Dental Hygiene Support Program

Website: childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Contact: Georgie Hanlin, Director of Development

The Back-to-School Dental Hygiene Support Program engages 22,000 children (ages 0-10) and their caregivers each summer in activities designed to foster good oral health habits and extend our commitment to delivering dental health education to Maricopa County children.

Chiricahua Community Health Center
$30,000 - Vaccines in the Dental Chair

Website: cchci.org
Contact: Maria Porter, Grants and Development Specialist

The Vaccines in the Dental Chair program at Chiricahua Dental Clinic integrates medical care into the dental clinic by offering routine immunizations at the time of dental visit, thus reducing barriers, eliminating missed opportunities, and increasing access to care for children and families.

City of Chandler Public Housing
$20,000 – Nutrition Program

Website: chandleraz.gov
Contact: Heather Callis, Recreation Coordinator II

Nutrition and oral health program for low-income youth living in public housing. Workshops featuring a healthy edible craft and oral health education are delivered weekly, plus daily healthy nutritious snacks are provided for all participants.

Coconino County Cooperative Extension
$15,000 – Tiny Teeth, Big Smiles

Website: arizona.edu
Contact: Hattie Braun, Master Gardener Program Coordinator

The Tiny Teeth, Big Smiles Program provides oral health education to children who are not being served or do not qualify for other programs due to lack of insurance or AHCCCS status. The program will provide education, dental screenings, fluoride varnish, sliver diamine fluoride, in- classroom toothbrushing instruction, and referrals to dental care for children in Flagstaff Title 1 pre- and elementary schools.

Coconino County Health and Human Services
$15,000 – Northern Arizona Community Dental Days

Website: N/A
Contact: Heather Williams, Programs Manager II

Northern Arizona Community Dental Days is a collaborative, volunteer-based effort to provide no cost preventative, surgical and restorative dental care to underserved and vulnerable adults in Coconino County, creating a pathway toward a comprehensive dental care model. Three clinical events will take place in Flagstaff area in 2023.

Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona
$20,000 – Farm to School Pantry Project

Website: communityfoodbank.org
Contact: Laura Kerr, Grants Program Manager

CFBSA’s Farm to School Pantry Project provides fresh, locally grown produce to low-income children and families through the mobile pantry program at local schools. Produce sourced from small farms in the southern Arizona area are provided at the pantry including potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, leafy greens, fruit and more.

Dental Lifeline Network
$18,000 – Donated Dental Services

Website: dentallifeline.org
Contact: Nancy Freimuth, Senior Grant Manager

Donated Dental Services connects low-income individuals in dire need of comprehensive dental treatment with volunteer dentists, specialists, and labs willing to offer care at no cost. All treatment is provided in the dentists’ own offices during their regular schedules. This “clinic without walls” approach is cost effective, makes it easy for dentists to volunteer, and preserves patient dignity and continuity of care.

Desert Senita Dental Center
$20,000 – Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Website: desertsenita.org
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Lim, Dental Director

Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow Program at Desert Senita Dental Center screens children ages 0 through age 18, pregnant women, and seniors for preventive treatment such as cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, silver diamine fluoride at schools and community events. Participants receive oral health instruction, education fluoride varnish treatments, dental supplies, and referral information.

Diana Gregory Outreach Services
$7,500 – Grand Families

Website: dianagregory.com
Contact: Diana Gregory, President, and CEO

Grand Families provides low-income seniors who are raising their grandchildren at Grandfamilies Place Apartments (section 42 govt. housing) in Phoenix with monthly deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables. In each bag is two meals for four people along with information on nutrition and healthy cooking recipes.

Dignity Health Foundation – East Valley
$25,000 – Dignity Health Children’s Dental Clinics

Website: dignityhealth.org
Contact: Laurel Vetsch, Director of Philanthropy

The Dignity Health Chandler Children’s Dental and Medical Clinics work to decrease the incidence of disease in children through direct dental and medical services, education for families, and care coordination for additional services at no cost to families. The integration of oral health screenings, fluoride application, and care coordination provided by a dental hygienist within the medical clinic provides an opportunity for low-income, uninsured children up to age 18 to access an entry point into the oral health care system.

Flagstaff Medical Center/Children’s Health Center
$15,000 – 2023 Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Paula McAllister, Grans Administrator

Flagstaff Medical Center Children’s Health Center provides support to patients with chronic and disabling conditions that can inhibit their ability to use a regular toothbrush. The program provides electric toothbrush kits, fluoride, and evaluations, as well as support instructions and preventive health education for these children and their families.

Gila County Health & Emergency Management
$30,000 – Gila County Health & Emergency Management Oral Health Program

Website: gilacountyaz.gov
Contact: Patricia Johnson, Dental Program Specialist

The Gila County Health & Emergency Management Oral Health Program educates the underserved in our community on the importance of optimal health, nutrition and the correlation between oral health and overall health. Oral screenings, sealants, oral hygiene instruction, and fluoride varnish treatments are provided to school-aged, underserved children, as well as senior citizens in order to bridge the gap to dental care for all underserved citizens.

Kitchen on the Street
$5,000 – Bags of Hope

Website: kitchenonthestreet.org
Contact: Lisa Scarpinato, CEO

Bags of Hope provides weekend nutritional food bags to children in Title 1 schools throughout Maricopa County.

Live & Learn
$12,000 – Empowered Women

Website: liveandlearnAZ.org
Contact: Erin Mowad, Developmental Director

The Empowered Women Program offers ongoing, one-on-one support and resource navigation to help women living in poverty access physical, dental, mental, and vision healthcare services. The program educates, coaches, and assists women to overcome barriers to care for themselves and their families, Women receive dental exams, cleanings, x-rays and oral health education.

Marana Healthcare
$15,000 – Emergent & Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children

Website: mhchealthcare.org
Contact: Dr. Vijay Patel, Dental Director

Emergent and Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children provides dental care for pre-screened, uninsured children for all levels of emergent and comprehensive care dental care, based on sliding scale fees.

Midwestern University
$10,000 – Dental Care for Underserved Adults

Website: midwestern.edu
Contact: Jennifer Mitchell, Manger, Institutional Advancement

Midwestern University’s Dental Care for Underserved Adults program provides emergent and continuing restorative dental care to underserved adult patients.

National Kidney Foundation of Arizona
$20,000 – Dental Assistance Program

Website: azkidney.org
Contact: Renee Hynds, Director of Patient Programs

The Dental Assistance Program is a program of last resort for patients with kidney disease who desperately need dental work to eat solid foods to help them thrive during treatment or to qualify for a kidney transplant. A disease-free mouth is a prerequisite for transplant surgery and this program ensures patients are eligible to receive a transplant.

North Country Healthcare
$25,000 – Expanding Integrated Dental Care

Website: northcountryhealthcare.org
Contact: Lydia Cockayne, Registered Dental Hygienist

Expanding Integrated Dental Care is a medical-dental integration program that embeds basic oral health screenings, fluoride applications and dental education into existing pediatric and obstetric appointments to assist in reinforcing the medical-dental connection. The program also provides referral to dental care as appropriate with intent to provide dental home for those who do not have established relationships.

Prescott Community Cupboard
$12,000 – Milk Is Essential

Website: pccfb.org
Contact: Joan Abbey, Grants Consultant

An influx of families with children have visited Prescott Community Cupboard in the last year, resulting in a lack of milk available to support the additional families. The Milk is Essential program funds the additional milk necessary to provide this essential item for all children and adults in need.

Southwest Human Development
$20,000 – Oral Health Programs for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org
Contact: Lisa Olivas-Cook, Grants Manager

Oral Health Program for Children and Families provides children and families in the Healthy Families Program (home visits) and Head Start/Early Head Start (classroom, community gatherings and virtual meetings) instruction on the importance of daily and lifelong oral health care, dental screenings, and the importance of having a dental home. Dental professionals provide screenings and fluoride varnish treatments to schools and community events to accompany the educational component whenever possible.

Sun Life Family Health Center
$20,000 – Sun Life Oral Health Screening/Fluoride Program

Website: slfhc.org
Contact: Michelov Rhau, Chief Operations Officer

Sun Life Oral Health Screening/Fluoride Program provides oral health screening and varnish application services to children ages 6 years old and up to 27 elementary schools in eight primarily underserved Pinal County school districts.

Tucson Children’s Museum
$10,000 – Family Brain Boost Oral Health Program

Website: childrensmuseumtucson.org
Contact: Hilary Van Alsburg, Executive Director

The Family Brain Boost Oral Health Program engages 800 children (ages 0-10) and 400 caregivers in a monthly sponsored STEAM experience focused on oral health, offered in English and Spanish. The museum’s educators provide hands-on experiments designed to inspire good oral health habits and interest in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) to Southern Arizona’s children.

UMOM New Day Centers
$20,000 – Feeding Homeless Families

Website: umom.org
Contact: Rosanne Donovan, Government Grants Manager

UMOM’s Feeding Homeless Families program serves over 250,000 meals a year to families living at our Family Emergency Shelter. By providing food security to these families, the parents/guardians are able to focus on securing employment/income, community resources, and permanent housing for themselves and their children.

Valley of the Sun YMCA
$25,000 – Oral Health Education and Food Programs

Website: valleyymca.org
Contact: Steve Conrad, Grant Writer

Our Oral Health Education and Food Programs provide oral health education and Delta Dental Smile Bags to low-income and underserved children and youth who attend Valley of the Sun YMCA programs. In addition, 3000 children in YMCA childcare and early learning programs who experience food insecurity receive lunch and snacks.

Verde Valley Medical Center
$15,000 – Healthy Families Oral Health Education

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Susan Lacher, Program Manager

Healthy Families Oral Health Education project provides dental education, training and supplies to families with a newborn in the greater Verde Valley region of Yavapai County via VVMC's Healthy Families Home Visiting Program. This program assists at-risk new parents at home on a wide range of child-focused topics including oral health. It also connects families through a variety of quarterly and annual socialization and community events.

Organizations selected by the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation to apply for IMPACT Grants in 2022 were chosen based on the oral health program's demonstrated impact in the community, melding of services and education, plus the number of lives that are touched by the program. In addition, the organizations have proven to be faithful stewards of at least three years of Delta Dental of Arizona grant funds in the past. Each program will receive $50,000 in 2022 and 2023 to support these programs.

El Rio Community Health Center

$100,000 IMPACT Grant 2022 - 2023 - El Rio Health Children's Dental Embedded Expansion Program 

Website: elrio.org
Contact: Oscar A. De La Torrez, Health Center Manager

El Rio Health Children’s Dental Embedded Expansion Program provides preventative oral health services and education to over 8,000 children a year by expanding embedded dental hygiene teams at El Rio’s health centers. Care provided includes dental screenings, fluoride varnish treatments, bilingual oral health education and dental supplies. 

Esperanca 

$100,000 IMPACT Grant 2022 - 2023 - Learning with a Smile

Website: esperanca.org
Contact: Maria Valenzuela, Health & Wellness Program Director 

Esperança’s Learning with A Smile Program provides oral health education and dental supplies to under-resourced Latino children, their parents, and aging adults in Maricopa and Yuma Counties. Bilingual educators conduct programs in Title I schools, affordable housing communities, churches, and senior centers in predominantly Latino communities.

Tooth BUDDS
$100,000 IMPACT Grant 2022 - 2023 - Tooth BUDDS

Website: toothbudds.org
Contact: MiQuel McRae, Executive Director

Tooth B.U.D.D.S. (Bringing Understanding of Dental Disease to Schools) is a school-based dental hygiene program serving children in Graham and Greenlee Counties of Southeast Arizona. Along with educating children about their oral health, Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienists provide dental screenings, cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, Silver Diamine Fluoride applications and S.M.A.R.T. restorations free of charge to students in grades K-6^th.

Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation Community Grants support programs and organizations statewide that provide oral health education and services for uninsured and underserved children, pregnant women and seniors. 

A New Leaf
$10,000 - Healthy Smiles for Life

Website: turnanewleaf.org
Contact: Laura Bode, Director of Community & Civic Engagement

A New Leaf’s Healthy Smiles for Life Program provides dental hygiene education and supplies for preschool to high school age children from low-income and un/underinsured households. The program impacts approximately 800 children and youth served by A New Leaf’s after school family shelter and housing, and early childhood education programs. Healthy Smiles for Life emphasizes preventative oral health care and provides referrals for treatment to prevent dental disease and serious oral health issues. 

Arizona Dental Foundation

$30,000 - Give Kids a Smile

Website: azdentalfoundation.org
Contact: Ginger Froncek, Executive Director 

Give Kids a Smile is an American Dental Association initiative designed to reduce school absenteeism by elimination oral pain and infection in underserved elementary age students. This age group is specifically targeted to address decay issues through restoration on primary and permanent teeth while applying sealants on erupting permanent teeth. The Arizona Dental Foundation has been hosting these charity treatment events at dental and hygiene schools and community centers statewide for almost 20 years.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

$20,000 - Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: bgcaz.org
Contact: Emily Denes, Foundation and Grants Manager 

Oral health services are provided by BGCAZ to low-income individuals through the Children’s Dental Clinic and Mobile Dental Unit. The program provides comprehensive oral health care and preventive education to low-income, uninsured/under-inured children ages 5-18, including members of BGCAZ. Oral health services will be provided to an estimated 875 patients with free screening to an additional 1,200 individuals though the mobile unit at 27 BGCAZ Valley locations.

Children’s Museum of Phoenix

$15,000 - “Back to School” Dental Hygiene Support Program

Website: childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Contact: Georgie Hanlin, Director of Development 

The Back-to-School Dental Hygiene Support Program engages 22,000 children (ages 0-10) and their caregivers each summer in activities designed to foster good oral health habits and extend our commitment to delivering dental health education to Maricopa County children.

Coconino County Cooperative Extension

$20,000 - Tiny Teeth, Big Smiles

Website: arizona.edu
Contact: Christy Stuth, Area Associate Agent 

The Tiny Teeth, Big Smiles Program provides oral health services to children who are not being served or do not qualify for other programs due to lack of insurance or AHCCCS status. The program will provide education, dental screenings, fluoride varnish, sliver diamine fluoride, in- classroom toothbrushing, curriculum, and referrals to children in Flagstaff Title 1 preschools and elementary schools.

Dental Lifeline Network

$30,000 - Donated Dental Services

Website: dentallifeline.org
Contact: Nancy Freimuth, Senior Grant Manager

Donated Dental Services connects low-income individuals in dire need of comprehensive dental treatment with volunteer dentists, specialists, and labs willing to offer care at no cost. All treatment is provided in the dentists’ own offices during their regular schedules, a “clinic without walls” approach that is cost effective, makes it easy for dentists to volunteer, and preserves patient dignity and continuity of care.

Desert Senita Dental Center

$15,000 - Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Website: desertsenita.org
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Lim, Dental Director 

Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow Program at Desert Senita Dental Center screens children ages 0 through age 18, pregnant women, and seniors for preventive treatment such as cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, silver diamine fluoride at schools and community events. Participants receive oral health instruction, education fluoride varnish treatments, dental supplies, and referral information.

Dignity Health Foundation – East Valley

$30,000 – Gilbert Children's Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org
Contact: Michelle Gross-Panico, Manager of Oral Health Programs 

The Dignity Health Gilbert Children's Dental Clinic provides free dental services to uninsured and underserved children under the age of 18 along with oral wellness and nutrition education during extended appointment times.

Flagstaff Medical Center/Children’s Health Center

$10,000 – 2022 Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Paula McAllister, Grans Administrator 

Flagstaff Medical Center Children’s Health Center provides support to patients with chronic and disabling conditions that can inhibit their ability to use a regular toothbrush. The program provides electric toothbrush kits, fluoride, and evaluations, as well as support instructions and preventive health education for these children and their families.

Gila County Health & Emergency Management

$20,000 – Gila County Health & Emergency Management – Prevention and Heath Equity

Website: gilacountyaz.gov
Contact: Patricia Johnson, Dental Program Specialist 

Prevention and Health Equity Program provides screenings, sealants, oral hygiene instructions and fluoride varnish to underserved, school-aged children. The program also educates seniors, children and pre-natal women, plus post-partum mothers learn how to care for their infant’s teeth.

Great Arizona Puppet Theater

$25,000 – Oral Health Puppet Shows

Website: azpuppets.org
Contact: Nancy Smith, Director 

Oral Health Puppet Shows deliver oral health education to low-income children aged 2-8 years old through engaging, entertaining puppet shows. Four oral health puppet shows educate children on best foods for your teeth, how to properly brush, and what happens when you go to the dentist. Nearly 60 shows travel directly to Title 1 schools, Head Start programs, and other low-income childcare centers.

Live & Learn

$12,000 – Health Women, Healthy Families

Website: liveandlearnAZ.org
Contact: Erin Mowad, Developmental Director 

Healthy Women, Healthy Families offers ongoing, one-on-one support and resource navigation to help women living in poverty access physical, dental, mental, and vision healthcare services. The program educates, coaches, and assists women to overcome barriers to care for themselves and their families, including cost, fear, and stigma. Through Delta Dental funding, women receive dental exams, cleanings, x-rays and education.

Marana Healthcare

$15,000 – Emergent & Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children

Website: mhchealthcare.org
Contact: Dr. Vijay Patel, Dental Director 

Emergent and Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children program provides dental care for pre-screened, uninsured children under 18 years old, for all levels of emergent and comprehensive care dental care, based on sliding scale fees.

Mountain Park Health Center

$15,000 – Preventive Dental Care for Pregnant Patients

Website: mountainparkhealth.org
Contact: Dr. Lilliana Garcia, Dental Department Chair 

Preventive Dental Care for Pregnant Patients provides no-cost preventive dental exams, x-rays, cleanings and education to pregnant women as part of their prenatal care. Mountain Park utilizes OB case managers to develop detailed care plans to ensure that dental care is a routine part of prenatal care.

National Kidney Foundation of Arizona

$20,000 – Dental Assistance Program

Website: azkidney.org
Contact: Lisa Gonzales, Patient Services Coordinator 

The Dental Assistance Program is a program of last resort for patients with kidney disease who desperately need dental work to eat solid foods that will help them thrive during treatment or to qualify for a kidney transplant. A disease-free mouth is a prerequisite for surgery and this program will ensure kidney patients are eligible to receive a transplant and are as healthy as possible during treatment.

North Country Healthcare

$30,000 – Expanding Integrated Dental Care

Website: northcountryhealthcare.org
Contact: Chole Strike, Registered Dental Hygienist 

Expanding Integrated Dental Care is a medical-dental integration program that embeds basic oral health screenings, fluoride applications and dental education into existing pediatric and obstetric appointments to assist in reinforcing the medical-dental connection. The program also provides referral to dental care as appropriate with intent to provide dental home for those who do not have established relationships.

Northern Arizona Council of Government’s Head Start Program

$24,800 – Brush

Website: nacog.org
Contact: Marica Archer, Health and Nutrition Manager 

Brush, a program of McMillen Health, improves the oral health status of underserved low-income children throughout a four-county region in northern Arizona to children participating in Head Start programs.  Quality, comprehensive, interdisciplinary oral health curriculum and educational resources are delivered via 44 classrooms, 39 home visiting staff and digital curriculum kits with education reaching 1,126 children. 

Phoenix Rescue Mission

$20,000 – Gateway to Oral Health

Website: phoenixrescuemission.org
Contact: Pam Morrison, Community Relations Officer 

Gateway to Oral Health provides homeless men, women, and children in our Transformation Program an overall oral health assessment, fluoride varnish treatment and education. If necessary, we coordinate restorative dental care with a local provider and promote continued oral health education.

River Cities United Way

$20,000 – Happy Healthy Smiles

Website: rcuw.org
Contact: Ashley Wood, Community Impact Director 

Happy Healthy Smiles is an in-school oral health education program that provides kindergarteners in Mohave and La Paz counties 10 consecutive days of hands-on oral health education. Pre-test and post-tests, along with follow up visits tri-annually to assess whether education impacted caries rates. The program has expanded to offer more children and families the ability to participate in person and from home, encouraging whole family support.

Senior Citizens of Patagonia

$5,000 – Patagonia Senior Center Dental Program

Website: seniorcitizensofpatagonia.org
Contact: Program Coordinator 

Patagonia Senior Center Dental Program provides dental hygiene information, arranges dental appointments and transportation to those appointments for 174 members of the Patagonia Senior Center. The program also funds dental services for seniors from local dentists who have agreed to provide discounted rated for seniors at the centers.

Southwest Human Development

$20,000 – Oral Health Programs for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org
Contact: Lisa Olivas-Cook, Grants Manager 

Oral Health Program for Children and Families Program is an educational program for children and families in the Healthy Families Program (home visits), Head Start/Early Head Start (classroom, community gatherings and virtual meetings). The program provides instruction on the importance of daily and lifelong oral health care, preventive screenings, and the importance of having a dental home.  We partner with dental professionals to bring screenings/varnish treatments to schools and community events to accompany the educational component whenever possible.

Sun Life Family Health Center

$30,000 – Sun Life Oral Health Screening/Fluoride Program

Website: slfhc.org
Contact: Michelov Rhau, Chief Operations Officer 

Sun Life Oral Health Screening/Fluoride Program provides oral health screening and varnish application services to children aged 6 years old and up to 26 elementary schools in eight primarily underserved Pinal County school districts.

Sunset Community Health Center

$ 30,000 – Sunset Healthy Smiles

Website: mysunsethealth.org
Contact: Dr. Alan Newman, Dental Director 

Sunset Healthy Smiles is a safety net oral health program that provides preventive services (x-rays, oral exams, cleanings, fluoride varnish, sealants, and oral health education) to uninsured children through the mobile dental van traveling to twelve schools and a variety of community centers throughout Yuma County.

United Community Health Center

$25,000 – Dental Care for Kids

Website: uchcaz.org
Contact: Dr. Arturo Sosa, Dental Director 

Dental Care for Kids integrates oral health services and education to over 800 low-income, underserved children during their medical well visits at United Community Health Center’s pediatric clinics. The program provides dental screenings, fluoride treatment, dental home referrals (as needed), oral health education and dental supplies. Referrals to UCHC dental clinics will be provided for comprehensive and emergent dental needs.

Valleywise Health Foundation

$25,000 – Valleywise Dental Services for Financially Vulnerable Patients

Website: valleywisehealthfoundation.org
Contact: Kate Fassett, VP of Development 

Valleywise Dental’s services are integrated into five of the Valleywise Health Federally Qualified Health Centers. The grant helps fund an additional dental hygienist at the recently opened Peoria Clinic to help with the rapidly growing dental needs of the community.

Verde Valley Medical Center

$15,000 – Healthy Families Oral Health Education

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Susan Lacher, Program Manager 

Healthy Families Oral Health Education project provides dental education, training and supplies to families with a newborn in the greater Verde Valley region of Yavapai County via VVMC's Healthy Families Home Visiting Program. This program assists at-risk new parents at home on a wide range of child-focused topics including oral health. It also connects families through a variety of quarterly and annual socialization and community events. Project activities benefit parents, newborns, and siblings.

Organizations selected by the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation to apply for IMPACT Grants in 2021 were chosen based on the oral health program's demonstrated impact in the community, melding of services and education, plus the number of lives that are touched by the program. In addition, the organizations have proven to be faithful stewards of at least three years of Delta Dental of Arizona grant funds in the past. Each program will receive $50,000 in 2021 and 2022 to support these programs.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix
IMPACT Grant - Children's Dental Clinic

Website: bgcmp.org
Contact: Emily Denes, Manager of Foundation and Grants

BGCMP’s Children’s Dental Clinic provides preventive and restorative oral health services to at least 890 low-income, uninsured youth in Metro Phoenix who attend BGCMP’s Homes Club and other students in the community. The program directly reduces the students’ school absenteeism due to dental pain.

El Rio Community Health Center
IMPACT Grant - Pediatric Dental Integration Program

Website: elrio.org
Contact: Oscar A. De La Torrez, Dental Public Health Associate

The El Rio Health Center’s Pediatric Dental Integration Program will expand direct screening, varnish and oral health education by the embedding dental hygiene teams in five El Rio Health locations throughout Tucson with a goal of serving 16,000 kids each year. Additionally, our dental health outreach team will engage in three collaborative, community outreach events with a goal of reaching 600 families who may not have a dental health home. 

Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH)
IMPACT Grant - Smiles for Kids

Website: noahhelps.org
Contact: Dr. Lou Sarrosa Wise, Dental Director

Smiles for Kids is a school-based, oral health education and screening program provided to children in schools and community events in Title 1 schools in the Scottsdale Public School District and Paradise Valley School District. The screenings/varnish events are paired with a digital oral health curriculum distributed to students and parents that captures effectiveness with pre- and post-class tests. 

Tooth BUDDS
IMPACT Grant - Tooth BUDDS

Website: toothbudds.org
Contact: MiQuel McRae, Executive Director

Tooth BUDDS is a group of Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienists who serve the children of Graham and Greenlee Counties by providing dental screenings, dental cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, Silver Diamine Fluoride applications and S.M.A.R.T restorations free of charge at the convenience of their school location.  Tooth BUDDS utilizes teledentistry to communicate the needs of these students with their affiliated dentist to expedite the restorative procedures necessary for complete oral health care.

Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation Community Grants support programs and organizations statewide that provide oral health education and services for uninsured and underserved children, pregnant women and seniors. 

A New Leaf
$10,000 - Healthy Smiles for Life

Website: turnanewleaf.org
Contact: Laura Bode, Director of Community & Civic Engagement

Healthy Smiles for Life project provides dental hygiene education and supplies for preschool to high school age children from low-income, underserved, and un/under-insured households. This program will impact approximately 1,000 children and youth served by A New Leaf’s early childhood education, after school, and youth and family residential programs. The goal is to emphasize preventative oral health care among children and provide referrals for treatment to prevent dental disease and to reduce future costly emergency room visits for dental problems.

Arizona Dental Foundation
$10,000 - Give Kids a Smile

Website: azdentalfoundation.org
Contact: Ginger Froncek, Executive Director

Give Kids A Smile is an American Dental Association initiative designed to reduce school absenteeism by eliminating oral pain and infection in underserved elementary age students. This age group is targeted to address decay issues through restorations on primary and permanent teeth while applying preventatives on erupting permanent teeth. The events are held at dental and hygiene schools, community centers and at Arizona Mission of Mercy.

Arizona Oral Health Coalition
$10,000 

Website: azohc.org
Contact: Layal Rabat, Coalition Chair

The Arizona Oral Health Coalition (AzOHC) works to promote health equity and access to quality, affordable dental coverage for pregnant women, adult Medicaid participants, rural Arizonans, and members of tribal nations. The Coalition will work to reduce inequities in oral health status through administrative and legislative advocacy, provider and policymaker education, and community engagement.

Barrow Neurological Foundation
$15,000 - The Post-Surgery Education Program

Website: supportbarrow.org
Contact: Angela Braun, Director of Philanthropy

The Post-Surgery Education Program educates the patient and family how important proper oral hygiene is during the healing process from jaw surgery.  This program provides education and specialized oral care items needed for optimal recovery and to assist holding the jaw in place to ensure the bones heal properly.

Children's Museum of Phoenix
$15,000 - Back to School Dental Hygiene Support Program

Website: childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Contact: Georgie Hanlin, Director of Development

The Back to School Dental Hygiene Support Program engages 22,000 children (ages 0-10) and their caregivers each summer in activities designed to foster good oral health habits and extend our commitment to delivering dental health education to Maricopa County children.

Dental Lifeline Network
$25,000 - Donated Dental Services

Website: dentallifeline.org
Contact: Nancy Freimuth, Senior Grant Manager

Donated Dental Services connects low-income individuals in dire need of comprehensive dental treatment with volunteer dentists, specialists, and labs willing to offer this care at no cost. All treatment is provided in the dentists’ own offices during their regular schedules. This “clinic without walls” model is cost effective, makes it easy for dentists to volunteer, and preserves patient dignity and continuity of care.

Desert Senita Dental Clinic
$25,000 - Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Website: desertsenita.org
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Lim, Dental Director

Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow program at Desert Senita Dental Center will screen children ages 0 through age 18, pregnant women, and seniors for preventive treatment such as cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, silver diamine fluoride at schools and community events.  Participants receive oral health instruction, education fluoride varnish treatments, dental supplies and referral information.

Dignity Health Gilbert Children's Dental Clinic
$30,000 - Dignity Health Gilbert Children's Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org
Contact: Michelle Gross-Panico, Manager of Oral Health Programs

The Dignity Health Chandler Children’s Dental Clinic provides free dental services to uninsured and underserved children under age 18 along with oral wellness and nutrition education during extended appointment times.

Esperanca
$25,000 - Learning with a Smile Program

Website: esperanca.org
Contact: Maria Valenzuela, Domestic Program Director

Oral Health Education - Learning with a Smile program sends bilingual educators to provide oral health education to low-income Latino children and seniors in metropolitan Phoenix. Education is held in Title I schools and low-income senior housing communities, churches, and senior centers located in Latino neighborhoods.  The program provides oral health education and Smile Bags to 3,250 children and 100 seniors in metropolitan Phoenix.

Great Arizona Puppet Theater
$15,000 - Oral Health Puppet Show

Website: azpuppets.org
Contact: Aubrey Watkins, Director of Education and Development

Oral Health Puppet Shows provide oral health education for low-income children aged 2-8 years old through engaging, entertaining puppet shows. Four oral health puppet shows educate children on best foods for your teeth, how to properly brush, and what happens when you go to the dentist.  Nearly 60 shows travel directly to Title 1 schools, Head Start programs, and other low-income childcare centers.

HNC Living
$25,000 - Dental Care for Low-Income Head & Neck Cancer Patients

Website: hncliving.org
Contact: Danielle Yearout, Executive Director

Dental Care for Low-Income Head and Neck Cancer Patients provides free dental care to low-income, uninsured and indigent head and neck cancer populations in Arizona.  100% of those served are over the age of sixty and require regular dental care, including extractions and fluoride treatments, in order to access life-saving cancer treatment.

Marana Healthcare
$15,000 - Emergent & Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children

Website: mhchealthcare.org
Contact: Dr. Vijay Patel, Dental Director

Emergent and Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children program provides care for pre-screened, uninsured children under 18 years old, for all levels of emergent and comprehensive care dental care, based on sliding scale fees.

Mountain Park Community Health Center
$30,000 - Dental Care for Moms and Kids Program

Website: mountainparkhealth.org
Contact: Dr. Lilliana Garcia, Dental Department Chair

Dental Care for Moms and Kids program provides no-cost, preventive dental screenings and cleanings to pregnant women as part of their prenatal care. Mountain Park utilizes OB case managers to develop detailed care plans to ensure that dental care is a routine part of prenatal care.

National Kidney Foundation of Arizona
$20,000 - Dental Assistance Program

Website: azkidney.org
Contact: Lisa Gonzales, Patient Services Coordinator

The Dental Assistance Program is a program of last resort for patients with kidney disease who desperately need dental work to eat solid foods that will help them thrive during treatment or to qualify for a kidney transplant.  A disease-free mouth is a prerequisite for surgery and this program will ensure kidney patients are eligible to receive a transplant and are as healthy as possible during treatment.

North Country Healthcare
$30,000 - Expanding Integrated Dental Care

Website: northcountryhealthcare.org
Contact: Kim Freeman, RDH, Dental Operations Manager

Expanding Integrated Dental Care is a medical-dental integration program that imbeds basic screening, fluoride applications and dental education into existing pediatric and obstetric appointments to assist in reinforcing the medical-dental connection. The program also provides referral to dental care as appropriate with intent to provide dental home for those who do not have established relationship.

Phoenix Rescue Mission
$10,000 - Confident Smiles

Website: phoenixrescuemission.org
Contact: Pam Morrison, Community Resource Officer

Confident Smiles Program provides homeless men, women and children in our Transformation Program an overall oral health assessment, fluoride varnish treatment and education.  If necessary, we coordinate restorative dental care with a local provider and promote continued oral health education.

Prescott Area Shelter Services
$10,000 - Smile With Confidence

Website: prescottshelters.org
Contact: Katee Norris, Director of Programs

Smile with Confidence is a program to support the women and children at our shelter by paying for dental procedures that are not covered by AHCCCS, or to help the guests we serve who are uninsured to improve the oral health of the guests we serve, but also improve their confidence as they apply for jobs, go to interviews, and strive to improve their situation.

River Cities United Way
$25,000 - Happy Healthy Smiles

Website: rcuw.org
Contact: Ashley Wood, Community Impact Director

Happy Healthy Smiles is a program for the rural area of Mohave and La Paz counties that provides kindergarteners the hands-on oral health education. Hygiene students from Mohave Community College (MCC) visit schools in Bullhead City and provide one class period of oral health education for 10 consecutive days to kindergarteners. Pre-tests and post-tests, along with follow up visits tri-annually to assess whether education impacted caries rates evaluate outcomes of program. The program has expanded to offer more children and families the ability to participate in person and from home, encouraging whole family support.

Senior Citizens of Patagonia
$7,000 - Patagonia Senior Center Dental Program

Website: seniorcitizensofpatagonia.org
Contact: Charles R. Kelly, Program Coordinator

Patagonia Senior Center Dental Program provides dental hygiene information, arranges dental appointments and transportation to those appointments for 165 members of the Patagonia Senior Center. The program also funds dental services for up to 30 seniors from local dentists who have agreed to provide discounted rates for seniors at the center. 

Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition
$25,000 - Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition

Website: azohc.org
Contact: Kala Sakala, Coalition Coordinator

Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition is the glue that increases community connections around oral health through Arizona’s seven southern counties. The coalition brings people together providing synergy to current community oral health efforts and providing communication, expertise, and knowledge to community oral health organizers. As a voice for oral health in southern Arizona, the coalition advocates for policy change and frequently connect with local and state legislators. 

Southwest Human Development
$20,000 - Oral Health Program for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org
Contact: Lisa Olivas-Cook

Oral Health Program for Children and Families program is an educational program for children and families in our Healthy Families Program (home visits), Head Start/Early Head Start (classroom, community gatherings and virtual meetings) providing instruction on the importance of daily and lifelong oral health care, preventive screenings, and the importance of having a dental home.  We partner with dental professionals to bring screenings/varnish treatments to schools and community events to accompany the educational component whenever possible.

Sunset Community Health Center
$30,000 - Sunset Healthy Smiles

Website: mysunsethealth.org
Contact: Dr. Alan Newman, Dental Director

Sunset Healthy Smiles is a safety net program to provide preventive services (x-rays, oral exams, oral prophylaxis, fluoride varnish, sealants and oral health education) to uninsured children through the mobile dental van, which visits nine schools and a variety of community centers throughout Yuma County.

Tohono O'Odham Nation Health Care
$25,000 - Medical-Dental Collaboration Program

Website: tonhc.org
Contact: Dr. Elizabeth Van Dyne, Dental Director

Medical-Dental Collaboration Program is a medical-dental collaborative integrating a registered dental hygienist (RDH) into all acute and well pediatric medical visits providing dental education, screening, applying fluoride, identifying caries, and initiating silver diamine fluoride (SDF) treatment in the medical clinic. The dental hygienist identifies emergent issues among children who do not normally see a dentist and link to same-day, on-site care by a dentist. 

United Community Health Center
$25,000 - Dental Program for Kids

Website: uchcaz.org
Contact: Dr. Arturo Sosa, Dental Director

Dental Program for Kids integrates oral health services and education into over 800 low-income children’s medical well visits at UCHC pediatric clinics.  The program engages low income and underserved pediatric patients who receive medical care with dental services and educate patients about the importance of oral health. Program includes dental screenings, fluoride, dental home referrals as needed, education and distribution of Smile Bags.  Referrals to UCHC dental clinics will be provided for comprehensive and emergent dental needs.

University of Arizona
$30,000 - OHPEN (Oral Health Prevention and Education) Wide Program

Website: fcm.arizona.edu/outreach/mobile-health-program
Contact: Alicia Dinsmore, Senior Program Coordinator

OHPEN (Oral Health Prevention and EducatioN) Wide Program at the University of Arizona is a full-spectrum family medicine mobile clinic providing free, critical services to vulnerable populations in Tucson and Pima County. As a part of our care to low-income communities, we provide dental screenings, fluoride varnish treatments, and oral health education to low-income, uninsured children and pregnant women.

Verde Valley Medical Center
$15,000 - Healthy Families Oral Health Education

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Susan Lacher, Supervisor/Manager

Healthy Families Oral Health Education project provides dental education, training and supplies to families with a newborn in the greater Verde Valley region of Yavapai County via VVMC's Healthy Families Home Visiting Program. Healthy Families assists at-risk new parents at home on a wide range of child-focused topics including oral health.  It also connects families through a variety of quarterly and annual socialization and community events. Project activities benefit parents, newborns, and siblings.

Organizations selected by the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation to apply for IMPACT Grants in 2020 were chosen based on the oral health program's demonstrated impact in the community, melding of services and education, plus the number of lives that are touched by the program. In addition, the organizations have proven to be faithful stewards of at least three years of Delta Dental of Arizona grant funds in the past. Each program will receive $50,000 in 2020 and 2021 to support these programs.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix
IMPACT Grant - Children's Dental Clinic

Website: bgcmp.org
Contact: John Patris-Browne, Manager of Foundation and Grants

BGCMP’s Children’s Dental Clinic provides preventive and restorative oral health services to at least 890 low-income, uninsured youth in Metro Phoenix who attend BGCMP’s Homes Club and other students in the community. The program directly reduces the students’ school absenteeism due to dental pain.

El Rio Community Health Center
IMPACT Grant - Pediatric Dental Integration Program

Website: elrio.org
Contact: Oscar A. De La Torrez, Dental Public Health Associate

The El Rio Health Center’s Pediatric Dental Integration Program will expand direct screening, varnish and oral health education by the embedding dental hygiene teams in five El Rio Health locations throughout Tucson with a goal of serving 16,000 kids in 2020. Additionally, our dental health outreach team will engage in three collaborative, community outreach events with a goal of reaching 600 families who may not have a dental health home.

Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH)
IMPACT Grant - Smiles for Kids

Website: noahhelps.org
Contact: Dr. Lou Sarrosa Wise, Dental Director

Smiles for Kids is a school-based, oral health education and screening program provided to children in schools and community events in Title 1 schools in the Scottsdale Public School District and Paradise Valley School District. This program promotes the importance of oral health for school readiness and effective learning.

Tooth BUDDS
IMPACT Grant - Tooth BUDDS

Website: toothbudds.org
Contact: MiQuel McRae, Executive Director

Tooth BUDDS is a group of Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienists who serve the children of Graham and Greenlee Counties by providing dental screenings, dental cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, Silver Diamine Fluoride applications and S.M.A.R.T. restorations free of charge at the convenience of their school location. Tooth BUDDS utilizes teledentistry to communicate the needs of these students with their affiliated dentist to expedite the restorative procedures necessary for complete oral health care.

Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation Community Grants support programs and organizations statewide that provide oral health education and services for uninsured and underserved children, pregnant women and seniors.

A New Leaf
$7,500 - Healthy Smiles for Life

Website: turnanewleaf.org
Contact: Karen Brown, Director of Support Services

Healthy Smiles for Life project provides dental hygiene education and supplies for preschool to high school age children from low-income, underserved, and un/under-insured households. This program will impact approximately 1,400 children and youth served by A New Leaf’s early childhood education, after school, and youth residential programs. The goal is to emphasize preventative oral health care among children and provide referrals for treatment to prevent dental disease and to reduce future costly emergency room visits for dental problems.

ACCEL
$12,500 - Dentists are Awesome

Website: accel.org
Contact: Marge Cook, Director of Grants

Our Dentists are Awesome program provides hands-on demonstrations and oral health education to our grade K-12 students with special needs. Our goal for the program is to help alleviate the students’ fear of the dentist, decrease their expected anxiety behaviors (desensitization) before a dental visit, plus encourage healthy oral hygiene habits, including routine dental visits.

Arivaca Helping Hands
$5,000 - Helping Hearts Dental Assistance

Contact: Beth Lusby, Grants Coordinator

Helping Hearts Dental Assistance program will provide emergency and basic dental care with oral health education to seniors in Arivaca. Discounted dental services are provided by local dentists and transportation is provided by volunteers.

Arizona Dental Foundation
$20,000 - Give Kids a Smile

Website: azdentalfoundation.org
Contact: Ginger Froncek, Executive Director

Give Kids A Smile is an American Dental Association initiative designed to reduce school absenteeism by eliminating oral pain and infection in elementary age students. Since 2003, ADF has provided free, restorative care, hygiene prevention, and oral health education services to over 1,000 Title I school children annually by creating “Give Kids A Smile” events in schools and communities across the state. Arizona represents one of the most active GKAS programs in the country.

Cancer Support Community
$2,500 - Oral Health for Cancer Care

Website: cscaz.org
Contact: Viridiana Zendejas, Director of Program Services

Oral Health for Cancer Care educates cancer patients on oral health issues (i.e. sticky saliva, mouth sores, dry mouth, taste change, and difficulty chewing/swallowing) that may arise due to their cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Dental Lifeline Network
$25,000 - Donated Dental Services

Website: dentallifeline.org
Contact: Jenifer Koberstein, VP of Program Services

Donated Dental Services program connects low-income individuals in dire need of comprehensive dental treatment with volunteer dentists, specialists, and labs willing to offer this care at no cost. All treatment is provided in the dentists’ own offices during their regular schedules. This “clinic without walls” model is cost effective, makes it easy for dentists to volunteer, and preserves patient dignity and continuity of care.

Desert Senita Dental Clinic
$25,000 - Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Website: desertsenita.org
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Lim

Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow program at Desert Senita Dental Center will screen children ages 0 through age 18, pregnant women, and seniors for preventive treatment such as cleanings, sealants, fluoride varnish, silver diamine fluoride at schools and community events. Participants receive oral health instruction, education fluoride varnish treatments, dental supplies and referral information.

Dignity Health
$15,000 - Dignity Health Chandler Children's Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org
Contact: Michelle Gross-Panico

The Dignity Health Chandler Children’s Dental Clinic provides 50 children with preventive oral healthcare services and 8 children with Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (256 patient visits).

Esperanca
$25,000 - Oral Health Education - Learning with a Smile Program

Website: esperanca.org
Contact: Maria Valenzuela, Domestic Program Director

Oral Health Education - Learning with a Smile program sends bilingual educators to provide oral health education to low-income Latino children and seniors in metropolitan Phoenix. Education is held in Title I schools and low-income senior housing communities, churches, and senior centers located in Latino neighborhoods. The program provides oral health education and Smile Bags to 3,250 children and 100 seniors in metropolitan Phoenix.

Flagstaff Medical Center
$10,000 - Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Cindy Sanders, RN Case Manager

Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions program benefits patients at FMC's Children's Health Center who have chronic and disabling conditions that inhibit their ability to use a regular toothbrush. Many of the children also have sensory processing issues and electric toothbrushes are much more palatable to them. Grant funding provides electric toothbrush kits. FMC supports instruction and preventive health education for these children and families.

Great Arizona Puppet Theater
$15,000 - Oral Health Puppet Show

Website: azpuppets.org
Contact: Aubrey Watkins, Director of Education and Development

Oral Health Puppet Show provides oral health education for low-income children aged 2-8 years old through engaging, entertaining puppet shows. Four oral health puppet shows educate children on best foods for your teeth, how to properly brush, and what happens when you go to the dentist. A minimum of 60 shows travel directly Title 1 schools, Head Start programs, and other low-income child care centers and reach approximately 5000 children and their teachers.

Health World
$2,500 - Keep Your Health on Track

Website: healthworldeducation.org
Contact: Peter Rusin, Executive Director

Keep Your Health on Track is a field trip program serving second grade students in Title 1 schools. The program is held at McCormick- Stillman Railroad Park. 2,000 second graders, parents and teachers from Maricopa, and tribal schools participate. The dental hygiene station will teach the importance of proper dental hygiene. Students will be able to list three reasons why people need to maintain healthy teeth and be able to describe and demonstrate the importance of proper brushing and flossing techniques, measured by post-event surveys.

Marana Healthcare
$15,000 - Emergent and Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children

Website: mhchealthcare.org
Contact: Dr. Vijay Patel, Dental Director

Emergent and Comprehensive Care for Uninsured Children program provides care for pre-screened, uninsured children under 18 years old, for all levels of emergent and comprehensive care dental care, based on sliding scale fees.

Mountain Park Community Health Center
$25,000 - Dental Care for Moms and Kids Program

Website: mountainparkhealth.org
Contact: Dr. Lilliana Garcia, Dental Department Chair

Dental Care for Moms and Kids program provides no-cost, preventive dental screenings and cleanings to pregnant women as part of their prenatal care. Charging $100 per visit, 250 preventive dental visits will be provided to approximately 135 pregnant women, depending on the number of visits required to complete all preventive services. Mountain Park will utilize OB case managers to develop detailed care plans for to ensure that dental care is a routine part of prenatal care.

National Kidney Foundation of Arizona
$25,000 - Dental Assistance Program

Website: azkidney.org
Contact: James Ivie, Patient Services Director

The Dental Assistance Program is a program of last resort for patients with kidney disease who desperately need dental work to eat solid foods that will help them thrive during treatment or to qualify for a kidney transplant. A disease-free mouth is a prerequisite for surgery. The National Kidney Foundation of Arizona reviews applicants and awards a multitude of dental procedures to make sure kidney patients are free of pain and have the best chance at transplant, survival, and a long and healthy life.

North Country Healthcare
$12,500 - Expanding Integrated Dental Care

Website: northcountryhealthcare.org
Contact: Kim Freeman, RDH

Expanding Integrated Dental Care is a medical-dental integration program that imbeds basic screening, fluoride applications and dental education into existing pediatric and obstetric appointments. A dental assistant or hygienist aims to visit 300 pediatric appointments and 75 OB/GYN appointments in 2020. The program also provides referral to dental care as appropriate with intent to provide dental home for those who do not have established relationship.

Northern Arizona University Department of Dental Hygiene
$25,000 - Beaver Creek Smiles

Website: nau.edu/dental-hygiene
Contact: Amy Smith, Assistant Clinical Professor

Beaver Creek Smiles program transports 248 children in need from Title 1 Beaver Creek School to NAU School of Dental Hygiene where they will receive comprehensive dental hygiene care in the form of oral education, prophylaxis, dental exams, x-rays, fluoride varnish, resin sealants (if applicable), and restorative referrals/resources. The program will improve overall oral health by providing direct preventive services and increase access to care by transporting students living in a provider shortage area to the treatment clinic.

River Cities United Way
$25,000 - Happy Healthy Smiles

Website: rcuw.org
Contact: Ashley Wood, Community Impact Director

Happy Healthy Smiles is a program for the rural area of Mohave and La Paz counties that provides kindergarteners the hands-on oral health education. Hygiene students from Mohave Community College (MCC) visit schools in Bullhead City and provide one class period of oral health education for 10 consecutive days to kindergarteners. Pre-tests and post-tests, along with follow up visits tri-annually to assess whether education impacted caries rates evaluate outcomes of program. In addition, the program provides cleanings and education to 100 members of uninsured, low income households from students at MCC dental hygiene school.

Senior Citizens of Patagonia
$8,000 - Patagonia Senior Center Dental Program

Website: seniorcitizensofpatagonia.org
Contact: Charles R. Kelly, Program Coordinator

Patagonia Senior Center Dental Program provides dental hygiene information, arranges dental appointments and transportation to those appointments for 165 members of the Patagonia Senior Center. The program also funds dental services for up to 30 seniors from local dentists who have agreed to provide discounted rates for seniors at the center.

Shape Up Us
$5,000 - Rock Your Smile

Website: shapeupus.org
Contact: Cheryl Kelmar, Grant Administrator

Rock Your Smile is a youth curriculum program about the importance of teeth to one's health, the value of visiting the dentist, and more. Rock Your Smile is a unit within Shape Up US’ successful Hip Hop Healthy Heart Program for Children, which is a program that provides continuing education and materials for teachers. The grant will provide Rock Your Smile curriculum packages to Title 1 schools in Arizona.

Smiles for Veterans
$20,000 - Smiles for Veterans

Website: smilesforveterans.dental
Contact: Jan Christensen, Executive Director

Smiles for Veterans is a program of Ayuda Smiles Inc (501(c)3) that facilitates critically needed dental care to Veterans who do not qualify for coverage under the Veterans Administration. 60-80 % of veteran applicants to this program are senior citizens. The program coordinates preventive dental care to pro-bono dentists, discounted dental clinics and free dental events for program participants age 60 and above with verified financial and dental health need.

Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition
$25,000 - Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition

Website: azohc.org
Contact: Alisha Thompson, Coalition Coordinator

Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition is the glue that increases community connections around oral health through Arizona’s seven southern counties. The coalition brings people together providing synergy to current community oral health efforts and providing communication, expertise, and knowledge to community oral health organizers. As a voice for oral health in southern Arizona, the coalition advocates for policy change and frequently connect with local and state legislators.

Southwest Human Development
$20,000 - Oral Health Program for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org
Contact: Lisa Olivas-Cook

Oral Health Program for Children and Families program promotes good oral health practices as integral to overall health and wellness to families in the program, which includes 10,085 children and adults. Families are educated for the need of daily and lifelong oral health care, preventive screenings, and the importance of having a dental home. 1,275 children receive exams and fluoride varnish treatments at social events and classroom activities as part of Healthy Families program.

Sun Life Family Health
$25,000 - Sun Life Oral Health Screening Project

Website: slfhc.org
Contact: Paul Kwofie, Program Coordinator

Sun Life Oral Health Screening Project provides oral health screening and varnish application services to children age six and older at 26 elementary schools in eight Pinal County school districts (Casa Grande, Coolidge, Eloy, Florence, Maricopa, Oracle, Picacho and Stanfield). The Project staff also link all participants identified with dental problems with treatment services. DDAZF funding supports our efforts to reduce oral health disparities in Pinal County.

Sunset Community Health Center
$25,000 - Sunset Healthy Smiles

Website: mysunsethealth.org
Contact: Dr. Desiree Lovette, Interim Dental Director

Sunset Healthy Smiles is a safety net program to provide preventive services (x-rays, oral exams, oral prophylaxis, fluoride varnish, sealants – children only – and oral health education) to uninsured patients. Up to 150 children ages 0-18 years old and up to 100 seniors ages 60 years old and above can be seen with this funding at any of our dental clinics or at nine schools visited by our dental mobile van throughout Yuma County.

Tohono O'Odham Nation Health Care
$25,000 - Medical-Dental Collaboration Program

Website: tonhc.org
Contact: Dr. Elizabeth Van Dyne, Dental Director

Medical-Dental Collaboration Program is a medical-dental collaborative integrating a registered dental hygienist (RDH) into all acute and well pediatric medical visits providing dental education, screening, applying fluoride, identifying caries, and initiating silver diamine fluoride (SDF) treatment in the medical clinic. The RDH identifies emergent issues among children who do not normally see a dentist and link to same-day, on-site care by a dentist.

United Community Health Center
$25,000 - Dental Program for Kids

Website: uchcaz.org
Contact: Dr. Arturo Sosa, Dental Director

Dental Program for Kids integrates oral health services and education into 500 low-income children’s medical well visits at UCHC pediatric clinics. The program aims to engage low income and underserved pediatric patients who receive medical care with dental services and educate patients about the importance of oral health. Program includes dental screenings, fluoride, dental home referrals as needed, education and distribution of Smile Bags. Referrals to UCHC dental clinics will be provided for comprehensive and emergent dental needs.

University of Arizona
$25,000 - OHPEN (Oral Health Prevention and Education) Wide Program

Website: fcm.arizona.edu/outreach/mobile-health-program
Contact: Patrick Rivers, Program Coordinator

OHPEN (Oral Health Prevention and EducatioN) Wide Program at the University of Arizona is a full-spectrum family medicine mobile clinic providing free, critical services to vulnerable populations in Tucson and Pima County. As a part of our care to low-income communities, we provide dental screenings, fluoride varnish treatments, and oral health education to children and pregnant women.

Verde Valley Medical Center
$15,000 - Healthy Families Oral Health Education

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Susan Lacher, Supervisor/Manager

Healthy Families Oral Health Education project provides dental education, training and supplies to families with a newborn in the greater Verde Valley region of Yavapai County via VVMC's Healthy Families Home Visiting Program. Healthy Families assists at-risk new parents at home on a wide range of child-focused topics including oral health. It also connects families through a variety of quarterly and annual socialization and community events. Project activities benefit parents, newborns and siblings.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix
$20,000 – I.G. Homes Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: bgcmp.org
Contact: Josh Stine, Director of Grants and Government Relations

The Children's Dental Clinic is a stand-alone facility adjacent to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix branch. The clinic provides comprehensive oral health services to low-income, uninsured children ages 5 to 18. The clinic collaborates with A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH) and the Phoenix College School of Dental Hygiene. Grant funding is used to compensate the clinic's dedicated staff and lead dentist who specializes in preventive and diagnostic care. The clinic’s goal is to provide comprehensive, preventive and direct dental services for 875 unduplicated youth.

Cancer Support Community
$10,000 – Oral Health and Cancer Care

Website: cscaz.org
Contact: Viridiana Zendejas, Bilingual Director of Program and Growth

The "Oral Health for Cancer Care" program was launched in 2018 with a goal of educating Arizona residents who have been affected by cancer. The program focuses on the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene throughout the cancer journey to preserve smiles and lessen treatment side effects. This year, the program aims to serve 100 unique individuals through embedded oral health components in existing monthly education, healthy lifestyles, social, youth, Latino, Teen and Family, and two community events. The goal is to improve participant’s experiences within the program by offering multiple opportunities to access engaging and applicable oral health education and complimentary services such as fluoride varnish treatments at events.

Catholic Charities Community Services
$25,000 – CARE Campus Dental Clinic

Website: catholiccharitiesaz.org
Contact: Christina Fankhauser, Director of Philanthropy

Catholic Charities CARE Campus will reactivate an unused dental clinic to offer weekly oral health exams, cleanings and varnish treatments to the underserved, prioritizing children, pregnant women and seniors in central Mesa and greater Phoenix. Through the work of dedicated office staff, community partners and volunteer registered dental hygienists, this program will also provide oral health instruction and education to patients and community center participants to build good oral health practices for those without dental insurance.

Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. Early Childhood Development
$10,000 – ECD Oral Health Program

Website: cplc.org
Contact: Chenita Young, Planning and Development Coordinator

This community-based prevention program will provide oral health education workshops, dental screenings, fluoride varnish treatments and referrals to potential permanent dental homes for low-income migrant and seasonal farm working parents, pregnant women and children. The funding received will cover costs needed to provide services to early childhood development families who represent an underserved population with challenges such as poverty, hazardous working conditions, poor nutrition and language barriers.

Cochise Cooperative Extension
$30,000 – Cochise First Smiles

Website: extension.arizona.edu/Cochise
Contact: Christy Stuth, MPH, RDH, Program Coordinator/ Dental Hygienist

The “Cochise First Smiles” program is to use best-practice approaches to enhance the oral health status of newborn children through age 6 in Cochise County. This will be accomplished by working directly with young children, pregnant women, and adults who are caregivers for young children (professional and informal child care providers). The program will provide these groups with education, dental screenings, fluoride varnish, silver diamine fluoride treatments and referrals.

Desert Senita Dental Clinic
$15,000 – Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Website: desertsenita.org
Contact: Jennifer Lim, DDS, Dental Director

Desert Senita Dental Center (DSDC) will visit areas of Arizona, where there is little to no access to dental care, and provide screenings, fluoride varnish treatments, and silver diamine fluoride treatments for children ages 0 through 18 and pregnant women. DSDC plans to visit schools and offices to educate on oral hygiene and refer patients back to the office for sealants and cleanings, as necessary and distribute Smile Bags.

Dignity Health Foundation
$20,000 – Dignity Health Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org/news/dental-clinic
Contact: Laurel Vetsch, Grants Manager

The Dignity Health Children’s Dental Clinic works to decrease the incidence of tooth decay in children through direct preventive services, education for families, and dissemination of best practice information for caregivers. Funding will be used to provide 500 preventive appointments at the clinic, 175 screenings and fluoride varnish applications for children ages 6 – 18, and oral health education for 1400 children in community locations.

El Rio Health Center Foundation
$35,000 – El Rio Pediatric Dental Integration Program (Phase 3)

Website: elrio.org
Contact: Brenda Goldsmith, Executive Director

The El Rio Health Pediatric Dental Integration Program Phase 3 will provide oral health services and education to 6,180 low-income children during medical well visits at the five El Rio medical clinics that also have dental clinics. Additional outreach events will occur both internally and externally to engage and serve families at other El Rio Health clinic sites and collaborative community events.

Esperança
$20,000 – Oral Health Education – "Learning with a Smile"

Website: esperanca.org
Contact: Maria Valenzuela, Phoenix Program Director

“Learning with a Smile” provides culturally sensitive oral health education to low-income Latino children, parents and seniors in metropolitan Phoenix. Esperança conducts education in low-income senior housing communities and Title I schools. Esperança’s goal is to serve 7,500 children, 400 parents, and 200 seniors over the new two years.

Flagstaff Medical Center
$10,000 – Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Natalie Harlan, Grants Administrator

The Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions program provides electric toothbrush kits, fluoride toothpaste and fluoride varnish care for patients at Flagstaff Medical Center’s Children’s Health Center. These children suffer from chronic or disabling conditions which inhibit their ability to use a regular toothbrush. Many come from low-income families and cannot afford to invest in an electric toothbrush. Clinic staff will provide instruction to families on proper use of the brushes, and will provide education on preventive oral health practices. The Nurse Practitioner will identify and apply the fluoride varnish to those children who are at risk of tooth decay, primarily children from the Indian Reservations and those that live in outlying communities.

Health World Education, Ltd.
$2,500 – Keep Your Health on Track (KYHOT)

Website: healthworldeducation.org
Contact: Peter Rusin, Executive Director

Keep Your Health on Track (KYHOT) is a fieldtrip program serving second grade students. The program is held at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona. Over 2,500 second grade students, parents and teachers from Maricopa County and tribal schools participate. The dental station will teach the importance of proper dental hygiene. Students will be able to list three reasons why people need teeth and be able to describe and demonstrate the importance of proper brushing and flossing techniques.

La Paz Mohave Oral Health Coalition, A Program of River Cities United Way
$20,000 – Kids Bright and Healthy and Happy Healthy Smiles

Website: rivercitiesunitedway.org
Contact: Ashley Wood, Community Impact Director

Kids Bright and Healthy provides K-12 students assistance with medical, dental, and vision needs by providing referrals to care, education and assistance with out-of-pocket fees on an emergency basis. The Happy Healthy Smiles program was created to provide kindergarteners with a two week in-school oral health learning experience with smile kits and Dr. Seuss Tooth Books to take home. Kids will brush their teeth as a class every day during the program.

Maggie’s Place, Inc.
$12,000 – Dental Program at Maggie’s Place

Website: maggiesplace.org
Contact: Laura Magruder, CEO

The Dental Program at Maggie’s Place will meet the needs of 70 homeless, pregnant/parenting women by providing preventive and restorative oral health services, including screenings, cleanings, diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases, and bus passes for women to travel to their appointments. Over 150 children will receive oral health education at our Family Success Center.

Mountain Park Health Center
$25,000 – Dental Care for Moms and Kids

Website: mountainparkhealth.org
Contact: Matt Jewett, Associate Director of Grants

The Dental Care for Moms and Kids project builds an oral health continuum of care for pregnant women and their children, through age 18. The program offers free screenings and cleanings for pregnant women, adds free preventive and extraction services for children ages 0-18, and provides portable dental equipment to integrate preventive dental care into the pediatric medical primary care exam room.

Native Health
$20,000 – Native Health Oral Health Program

Website: nativehealthphoenix.org
Contact: Francie Spencer, Development Specialist

The Native Health Oral Health Outreach Program will provide children preventive oral health services through community-based outreach programs. The program will also enable integration of oral health measures for children seen during well-child and/or preventive care visits at the agency’s Central, West and Maryvale clinics. The program will impact 2,500 children and their families/caregivers. The program will educate and promote oral health for 400 adults (family of children served) ensuring total family coverage.

Navajo-Apache-Gila (NAG) Oral Health Coalition
$21,000 – Navajo-Apache-Gila Oral Health Coalition (NAG OHC)

Website: navajocountyaz.gov
Contact: Connie Baine, Coordinator/Consultant

The Navajo-Apache-Gila Oral Health Coalition (NAG OHC) serves approximately 10,000 tri-county residents. The goals of the NAG OHC include becoming a resource for clear, consistent messaging about the importance of oral health (to align with the State of Arizona’s Oral Health Plan). The NAG OHC seeks to increase overall public awareness of the importance of early, frequent and life-long oral health care and make the connection between oral health and overall physical health. The coordinator will implement the NAG OHC strategies and be responsible for coalition development, recruitment, communication, trainings, reports and partnering activities.

Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH)
$25,000 – Smiles Happen When Dental Education Happens

Website: noahhelps.org
Contact: Laurie Pierce, Grants Manager

“Smiles Happen When Dental Education Happens” delivers oral health education and/or screenings to 4,800 underserved, uninsured children and youth at 18 events throughout the year. The program works with established partners at Back to School, sports and health fairs, and other school activities serving low income areas. Grant funding will support dental staff at events, services by dentists at clinics, and the purchase of "The Grosser More Disgusting Totally Cool Book," an effective and popular oral health education tool.

Phoenix Rescue Mission
$17,495 – Gateway to Comprehensive Dental Care for the Homeless Project

Website: phoenixrescuemission.org
Contact: Ed Rooney, Director of Clinical Supervision Training

The Gateway to Comprehensive Dental Care for the Homeless project’s goal is to improve the oral health of homeless children and pregnant women residing in Phoenix Rescue Mission’s Changing Lives Center for Women and Children (CLC), conduct preventive training, and advance the integration of oral health and overall health at the CLC. The funding will provide direct dental services, promote collaboration among health care providers, increase access to oral health services, and translate proven dental approaches into a widespread practice by having families access a "dental home" after exiting the CLC to maintain good oral health.

Senior Citizens of Patagonia
$5,000 – Dental Plan for Senior Citizens of Patagonia

Website: seniorcitizensofpatagonia.org
Contact: Charles R. Kelly, Secretary/Treasurer

The Dental Plan for Senior Citizens of Patagonia program will encourage and advance the overall health and oral hygiene of the local community. The grant received will be used to provide dental services to our low-income seniors and people with disabilities. There are over 175 individuals signed up for the Senior Citizens of Patagonia lunch and transportation services. Most of these seniors will be eligible to take part in this Dental Plan program.

Sojourner Center
$13,000 – Oral Health Care for Domestic Violence Survivors

Website: sojournercenter.org
Contact: Holly Craw, Grants and Contracts Manager

Through the Oral Health Care of Domestic Violence Survivors program, we will provide domestic violence survivors in Sojourner Center programs with access to dental care using local pro-bono dentists. This grant will provide staffing support of a dental care advocate and a driver, mileage for transporting participants, printing of program flyers and cell phone services for the driver.

Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition
$22,917 – Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition (SAzOHC)

Website: azohc.org
Contact: Alicia M. Thompson, Coalition Coordinator

The SAzOHC aims to increase community connections around oral health throughout the seven southern counties of Arizona. The SAzOHC brings people together across all 8 CDC sectors to energize them and bring synergy to all efforts to make a difference. SAzOHC will coordinate two (2) community educational events on Silver Diamine Fluoride and other minimally invasive techniques to stop tooth decay, both will include a practical hands-on training for providers. SAzOHC will coordinate one (1) educational event on Motivational Interviewing.

Southwest Human Development
$20,000 – Oral Health Program for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org
Contact: Lisa Olivas-Cook, Grants Manager

Southwest Human Development’s Oral Health Program for Children and Families promotes good oral health practices as integral to overall health and wellness. The funds are used to educate 8,546 children and families in Healthy Families and Head Start/Early Head Start programs about the need for daily and lifelong oral health care, the importance of having a dental home. 725 children in these programs will receive oral health screenings and varnish treatments.

Sun Life Community Health Center
$20,000 – Sun Life Oral Health Screening Project

Website: slfhc.org
Contact: Michelov Rhau, Grants Manager

Sun Life Family Health Center will provide oral health screenings and varnish application services to children ages six and older at 26 different elementary schools in eight Pinal County school districts (Casa Grande, Coolidge, Eloy, Florence, Maricopa, Oracle, Picacho and Stanfield). Approximately 91% of the children participating are uninsured or underinsured. The Sun Life Oral Health Screening Project staff will connect all participants identified with dental problems to treatment services.

Sunset Community Health Center, Inc.
$15,000 – Sunset Healthy Smiles

Website: sunsetcommunityhealthcenter.org
Contact: David Rogers, CEO

Sunset Healthy Smiles will provide X-rays, oral health exams, oral prophylaxis, fluoride varnish, sealants and oral health education for up to 250 children ages 0-18 years old in the Sunset Community dental clinics. Through the Sunset Healthy Smiles Program, the dental mobile van will visit nine schools throughout Yuma County to provide oral health services.

Tohono O’odham Nation Health Care (TONHC)
$30,000 – Tohono O’odham Medical-Dental Collaboration Project

Website: tonation-nsn.gov
Contact: Elizabeth Van Dyne, MD, MPH, Medical Officer Pediatrics/Public Health

In the past few decades, the children of the Tohono O'odham Nation have experienced a high rate of severe tooth decay, often leading to multiple invasive restorations. To address this issue, the Tohono O’odham Medical-Dental Collaboration Project will utilize silver diamine fluoride (SDF), when appropriate, to treat caries on these children. The goal is to reduce the number of children requiring treatment for caries under general anesthesia by 50% in the first year of the program, with additional gains in subsequent years.

Tooth B.U.D.D.S.
$25,000 – Tooth BUDDS

Website: toothbudds.org
Contact: MiQuel McRae, Executive Director

Tooth BUDDS, Bringing Understanding of Dental Disease to Schools, is staffed by affiliated practice dental hygienists who provide preventive services free of charge to school children in Graham and Greenlee Counties. They also utilize teledentistry to connect patients with providers. Services include: assessment, dental cleaning, fluoride varnish, sealants, silver diamine fluoride and glass ionomer sealants. During the summer months, Tooth BUDDS will be providing these same services to seniors in long-term care facilities.

Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation
$10,000 – More Smiles at TCRHCC

Website: tchealth.org
Contact: Veronica Hardy-Becenti, Grants Director

Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (TCRHCC) currently operates the only denture program on the Navajo reservation and serves an average of 275 patients annually. Grant funds will be utilized to sustain this program by covering dental laboratory fees for approximately 30 low income, Native American elders needing full or partial dentures.

University of Arizona Foundation – Mobile Health Program
$20,000 – OHPEN (Oral Health Prevention and Education) Wide Program

Website: fcm.arizona.edu/outreach/mobile-health-program
Contact: Patrick Rivers, Sr. Program Coordinator

The University of Arizona Mobile Health Program is a full-spectrum family medicine unit providing free, critical services to vulnerable populations in Tucson and Pima County. As part of the care to low-income communities, OHPEN Wide provides dental screenings, fluoride varnishes, and oral health education to children and pregnant women.

Verde Valley Medical Center
$15,000 – Healthy Families Oral Health Education

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Natalie Harlan, Grants Administrator

Verde Valley Medical Center’s Healthy Families Oral Health Education project provides dental education, training, and supplies to families with a newborn in the greater Verde Valley region of Yavapai County. Healthy Families assists at-risk new parents at home on a wide range of child-focused topics including oral health. The program also connects with families through a variety of quarterly and annual socialization and community events.

Winslow Indian Health Care Center, Inc. (WIHCC)
$20,000 – WIHCC Mobile Dental Program

Website: wihcc.com
Contact: Dr. Thomas Barnes, Chief of Dental

The WIHCC Mobile Dental Program provides comprehensive treatment, including annual exams, radiographs, sealants and dental restorations, to Navajo Head Start and Pre-K students. The program will also provide sealant treatments and annual exams to approximately 953 students in grades K-12 throughout six different communities.

Adelante Healthcare
$20,000 – Adelante Smiles

Website: adelantehealthcare.com
Contact: Katia Lopes Gilbert, Executive Staff Assistant

The "Adelante Smiles" program promotes oral health and dental disease prevention to approximately 125 children and youth, with an emphasis in underserved and uninsured communities. Children are referred to the program internally by Adelante pediatric providers, the Farmworker Worker Health Program, WIC Program and through external social service community partnerships. The funding will be used to provide oral health services including a full mouth series of X-rays, a cleaning, fluoride varnish application and dental sealants.

A.T. Still University – ASDOH
$40,000 – Arizona Oral Health Coalition

Website: atsu.edu/asdoh
Contact: Scott Howell, DMD, MPH

The Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH) trains students in telehealth outreach to address access barriers to oral health care. ASDOH works with medical clinics to care for under/uninsured adults in Apache Junction and youth in detention centers. Grant funds allowed us to purchase a vehicle to transport equipment and therefore fill a critical oral health service gap for seniors in long-term care and hospice facilities. By expanding capacity, ASDOH will impact 1,000+ underserved youth and seniors (preventive to palliative care) in Maricopa and Pinal Counties.

AZ Dental Foundation
$15,000 – Give Kids a Smile

Website: azdentalfoundation.org
Contact: Ginger Froncek, Executive Director

The Arizona Dental Foundation (ADF) coordinates Give Kids a Smile (GKAS) events statewide to eliminate oral pain and infection in school age children. Every year almost 1,000 Title I elementary school children receive an average of $350 in free dental services for an operational cost of less than $45 per child. During the past 15 years over 17,000 children received free dental treatment. ADF's proposed coordination includes financial and community support for TeamSmile. Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation's grant will be used for clinical supplies and volunteer support for all 2018 and 2019 sites.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Colorado River
$11,964 – Summer Smiles

Website: clubriver.org
Contact: Autumn Boyle-Robinson, CEO

The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Colorado River have a summer filled with oral health education and treatments. Education will include tactile and science-based experiments and activities. The goal of the program is for children to have a wonderful time learning and practicing good dental hygiene. Classes in the College for Kids programs will go in depth into oral health as well as the science behind it. Approximately 200 children will receive education, and 50 will receive preventive treatments.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix
$30,000 – I.G. Homes Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: bgcmp.org
Contact: Josh Stine, Director of Grants and Government Relations

The Children's Dental Clinic is a stand-alone facility adjacent to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix branch. The clinic provides comprehensive oral health services to low-income, uninsured children ages 5 to 18. The clinic collaborates with A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH) and the Phoenix College School of Dental Hygiene. Grant funding is used to compensate the clinic's dedicated staff and lead dentist who specializes in preventive and diagnostic care. The clinic’s goal is to provide comprehensive, preventive and direct dental services for 875 unduplicated youth.

Cancer Support Community
$10,200 – Oral Health and Cancer Care

Website: cscaz.org
Contact: McKenzie Simmons, Sr. Director of Mission Advancement

In partnership with Delta Dental of Arizona, the “Oral Health and Cancer Care” program is designed to increase oral health knowledge and promote positive outcomes for individuals impacted by cancer throughout the state. The program will be delivered in English and Spanish to 100 participants. Unique to Arizona, the program ensures that the cancer community has the right information at the right time through existing monthly education, healthy lifestyles and social programs and four quarterly oral health seminars and one community event.

Chicanos Por La Causa
$10,000 – ECD Oral Health Program

Website: cplc.org
Contact: Chenita Young, Planning and Development Coordinator

This community-based prevention program will provide oral health education workshops, dental screenings, fluoride varnish treatments and referrals to potential permanent dental homes for low-income migrant and seasonal farm working parents, pregnant women and children. The funding received will cover costs needed to provide services to early childhood development families who represent an underserved population with challenges such as poverty, hazardous working conditions, poor nutrition and language barriers.

Children’s Museum of Phoenix
$31,500 – "Back to School" Dental Hygiene Program

Website: childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Contact: Kelley Fitzsimmons, Director of Education and Programs

The Children's Museum of Phoenix (CMOP) will continue providing dental health education to Maricopa County children and their families. The CMOP will host a two-year partnership with Delta Dental of Arizona that includes the following activities for six weeks each year:

-- Engage about 22,000 children and family members annually in dental hygiene-themed art projects in the Art Studio, classrooms and at periodic "pop-up" programs throughout the Museum

-- Perform 20 oral health-themed magic shows for an estimated audience of 4,000 children annually

-- Distribute 3,000 Smile Bags each year

Desert Senita Dental Clinic
$20,000 – Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Website: desertsenita.org
Contact: Jennifer Lim, DDS, Dental Director

Desert Senita Dental Center (DSDC) will set up screenings for 400 patients ages birth through 18 and pregnant women. DSDC will teach oral hygiene instructions, apply fluoride varnish, and/or apply silver diamine fluoride and hand out smile bags. DSDC will also refer children back to the office for exams, X-rays, sealants, and cleanings, as necessary. DSDC plans to place ads in the local paper so that home-schooled children and pregnant women can come to the office for the above-mentioned preventive services.

Dignity Health Foundation
$20,000 – Dignity Health Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org/news/dental-clinic
Contact: Laurel Vetsch, Grants Manager

The Dignity Health Children’s Dental Clinic works to decrease the incidence of tooth decay in children through direct preventive services, education for families, and dissemination of best practice information for caregivers. Funding will be used to provide 500 preventive appointments at the clinic, 175 screenings and fluoride varnish applications for children ages 6 – 18, and oral health education for 1400 children in community locations.

El Rio Health Center Foundation
$50,000 – El Rio Pediatric Dental Integration Program (Phase 3)

Website: elrio.org
Contact: Brenda Goldsmith, Executive Director

The El Rio Health Pediatric Dental Integration Program Phase 3 will serve 9,400 at-risk children each year. This program is expanding from fluoride varnish kiosks (located in El Rio pediatric lobbies) to a higher level of integration, embedding a registered dental hygienist and dental assistant team inside three of the busiest pediatric sites. These individuals will conduct a dental assessment, fluoride varnish treatments and education as part of the medical visits. They will also document services in the child’s electronic health record. Any urgent need will be immediately addressed at the El Rio dental clinic on-site with help from the Program Care Partner.

Esperança
$25,000 – Oral Health Education – "Learning with a Smile"

Website: esperanca.org
Contact: Maria Valenzuela, Phoenix Program Director

“Learning with a Smile” will provide an oral health educator who will join a team of professionals that provide oral health education and referrals to dental care to impoverished Hispanic children and families in Phoenix. Education will be conducted in Title I school districts, community-based dental clinics, and other appropriate locations that serve the target population. Esperança projects to serve 2,500 children in Year I, 3,500 in Year II, and 5,000 in Year III. Additionally, Esperança projects to serve 200 parents each year.

Flagstaff Medical Center
$10,000 – Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Natalie Harlan, Grants Administrator

The Prevention for Children with Chronic/Disabling Conditions program provides electric toothbrush kits, fluoride toothpaste and fluoride varnish care for patients at Flagstaff Medical Center’s Children’s Health Center. These children suffer from chronic or disabling conditions which inhibit their ability to use a regular toothbrush. Many come from low-income families and cannot afford to invest in an electric toothbrush. Clinic staff will provide instruction to families on proper use of the brushes and will provide education on preventive oral health practices. The Nurse Practitioner will identify and apply the fluoride varnish to those children who are at risk of tooth decay, primarily children from the Indian Reservations and those that live in outlying communities.

La Paz Mohave Oral Health Coalition
$37,019 – Kids Bright and Healthy and Happy Healthy Smiles

Website: rivercitiesunitedway.org
Contact: Ashley Wood, Community Impact Director

Kids Bright and Healthy provides K-12 students assistance with medical, dental, and vision needs by providing referrals to care, education, and assistance with out-of-pocket fees on an emergency basis. The Happy Healthy Smiles program was created to provide kindergarteners with a two week in-school oral health learning experience with smile kits and Dr. Seuss Tooth Books to take home. Kids will brush their teeth as a class every day during the program.

Legacy Foundation Christ-Town YMCA Dental Clinic
$15,000 – Legacy Foundation Chris-Town YMCA Dental Clinic

Website: valleyymca.org/chris-town
Contact: Jason Heetland, Executive Director

The Legacy Foundation Chris-Town YMCA Dental Clinic provides outreach and oral health education to underserved youth to increase usage of the Chris-Town YMCA Dental Clinic. The program also provides preventive dental care at the Clinic for underinsured/uninsured youth. Each year we expect to reach 1,535 youth through outreach/education efforts and provide 55 underinsured/uninsured youth with preventive care.

Maggie’s Place, Inc.
$20,000 – Dental Program at Maggie’s Place

Website: maggiesplace.org
Contact: Laura Magruder, CEO

Through strategic collaborations with oral health providers, Maggie's Place will meet the oral health needs of over 70 homeless, pregnant and parenting women by providing preventive and restorative dental services. In addition, over 150 children of Maggie's Place moms will receive oral health education at the Family Resource Center. Services for pregnant and parenting women will include screenings and cleanings, diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases and any preventive care needed. The program also provides bus passes for women to travel to and from their appointments.

Marana Healthcare
$20,000 – Preventive Dental Care for Pregnant Women

Website: mhchealthcare.org
Contact: Vijay Patel, Dental Services Director

The Preventive Dental Care for Pregnant Women program will provide a comprehensive dental exam, X-rays, and cleanings to uninsured pregnant woman. Grant funding will go toward the exam, intraoral complete X-rays, prophylaxis cleaning and debridement. The program will serve about 90 uninsured pregnant women.

Mountain Park Health Center
$25,000 – Dental Care for Moms and Kids

Website: mountainparkhealth.org
Contact: Matt Jewett, Associate Director of Grants

The Dental Care for Moms and Kids project builds an oral health continuum of care for pregnant women and their children, through age 18. The program offers free screenings and cleanings for pregnant women, adds free preventive and extraction services for children ages 0-18, and provides portable dental equipment to integrate preventive dental care into the pediatric medical primary care exam room.

Native Health
$25,000 – Native Health Oral Health Program

Website: nativehealthphoenix.org
Contact: Francie Spencer, Development Specialist

Native Health will continue to provide preventive oral health measures through community-based outreach and service provision for children. This program will integrate preventive oral health measures during preventive care visits for children at the Native Health Clinics. The program will increase access to care for 1,200 low-income adults (family of children served), closing the gap for dental treatment services while increasing utilization of a dental medical home.

Navajo County Public Health Services District
$25,000 – Adult Oral Health Education and Prevention Program

Website: navajocountyaz.gov/departments/public-health-services
Contact: Shauna Clements, Program Manager

The Adult Oral Health Education and Prevention Program will provide primary and secondary prevention to women of childbearing age (with an emphasis on pregnant women) and seniors, which have been identified as groups demonstrating a high need for oral health intervention. Grant will provide the resources to conduct education efforts. The population consists of over 30,000 seniors (55+) and over 2,200 pregnant adult (19+) women in Navajo and Apache counties. The program will focus on linking the target demographics to care by helping them establish a dental home. A resource guide will be distributed to both demographics through several partnerships to help individuals not otherwise reached by other means.

Navajo-Apache-Gila (NAG) Oral Health Coalition
$23,760 – Navajo-Apache-Gila Oral Health Coalition (NAG OHC)

Website: navajocountyaz.gov
Contact: Connie Baine, Coordinator/Consultant

The Navajo-Apache-Gila Oral Health Coalition (NAG OHC) serves approximately 10,000 tri-county residents. The goals of the NAG OHC include becoming a resource for clear, consistent messaging about the importance of oral health (to align with the State of Arizona’s Oral Health Plan). The NAG OHC seeks to increase overall public awareness of the importance of early, frequent and life-long oral health care and make the connection between oral health and overall physical health. The coordinator will implement the NAG OHC strategies and be responsible for coalition development, recruitment, communication, trainings, reports and partnering activities.

Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH)
$30,000 – Smiles Happen When Dental Education Happens

Website: noahhelps.org
Contact: Laurie Pierce, Grants Manager

“Smiles Happen When Dental Education Happens” delivers oral health education and/or screenings to 4,800 underserved, uninsured children and youth at 18 events throughout the year. The program works with established partners at Back to School, sports and health fairs, and other school activities serving low income areas. Grant funding will support dental staff at events, services by dentists at clinics, and the purchase of "The Grosser More Disgusting Totally Cool Book", an effective and popular oral health education tool.

Phoenix Rescue Mission
$15,000 – Gateway to Comprehensive Dental Care for the Homeless Project

Website: phoenixrescuemission.org
Contact: Michele Banks, Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienist

The Gateway to Comprehensive Dental Care for the Homeless project’s goal is to improve the oral health of homeless children and pregnant women residing in Phoenix Rescue Mission’s Changing Lives Center for Women and Children (CLC), conduct preventive training, and advance the integration of oral health and overall health at the CLC. The funding will provide direct dental services, promote collaboration among health care providers, increase access to oral health services, and translate proven dental approaches into a widespread practice by having families access a "dental home" after exiting the CLC to maintain good oral health.

Poore Medical Clinic
$24,103 – Sid Davis, DDS Memorial Dental Clinic

Website: pooremedicalclinic.org
Contact: Eric Walden, Executive Director

The Sid Davis, DDS Memorial Dental Clinic at Poore Medical Clinic provides no-cost preventive and primary treatment to Poore Medical Clinic patients. These patients are residents of Coconino County who have no insurance and who live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. The clinic will provide 400-600 patient visits during 2018.

Senior Citizens of Patagonia
$6,000 – Dental Plan for Senior Citizens of Patagonia

Website: seniorcitizensofpatagonia.org
Contact: Charles R. Kelly, Secretary/Treasurer

The Dental Plan for Senior Citizens of Patagonia program will encourage and advance the overall health and oral hygiene of the local community. The grant received will be used to provide dental services to our low-income seniors and people with disabilities. There are over 175 individuals signed up for the Senior Citizens of Patagonia lunch and transportation services. Most of these seniors will be eligible to take part in this Dental Plan program.

Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition (SAZOHC)
$20,000 – SAzOHC Educates New Moms!

Website: azohc.org
Contact: Alicia M. Thompson, Coalition Coordinator

SAzOHC will coordinate and provide between 50 and 80 community members and providers, with a training and seminar on the clinically appropriate use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for the treatment of caries for patients of all ages. The seminar will be offered simultaneously in person and via webinar. Community stakeholders from the eight CDC sectors will be invited to attend the seminar in order to increase awareness of the oral health benefits of utilizing SDF in the fight against tooth decay. The motivational interviewing component of the training will be provided by either a local expert or Matthew D. Allen, DDS who is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

Southwest Human Development
$20,000 – Oral Health Program for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org
Contact: Lisa Olivas-Cook, Grants Manager

Southwest Human Development’s Oral Health Program for Children and Families promotes good oral health practices as integral to overall health and wellness. The funds are used to educate 8,546 children and families in Healthy Families and Head Start/Early Head Start programs about the need for daily and lifelong oral health care, the importance of having a dental home. 725 children in these programs will receive oral health screenings and varnish treatments.

St. Elizabeth’s Health Center
$24,512 – Dental Prevention Clinic

Website: saintehc.com
Contact: Carmen Noriega, Director of Development and Marketing

The Dental Prevention Clinic offers free fluoride varnishes, X-rays, cleanings and oral health education at St. Elizabeth’s Health Center to 180 uninsured children and pregnant women who meet Federal Poverty Levels 1-4. The program aims to complete eight on-site clinics at area schools and centers serving at least 450 children. These clinics will provide a short, educational session on oral hygiene, dental screenings and fluoride varnishes to all participants. Additionally, the Dental Prevention Clinic will participate in three Parent Information Events for outreach on dental awareness.

Sun Life Community Health Center
$20,000 – Sun Life Oral Health Screening Project

Website: slfhc.org
Contact: Michelov Rhau, Grants Manager

Sun Life's Oral Health Screening project provides comprehensive preventive oral health services with a goal to reduce oral health disparities among children ages six and older in Pinal County. The program will provide oral health screening and fluoride varnish application services to 950 children throughout 22 schools in medically underserved communities of Casa Grande, Eloy, Florence, Maricopa, Picacho and Stanfield. Education will also be provided to 50 adults through Against Abuse, Inc., Seeds of Hope and Sun Life’s Diabetes Awareness Program. The program will link all participants identified with dental problems with treatment services.

Sunset Community Health Center, Inc.
$20,000 – Sunset Healthy Smiles

Website: sunsetcommunityhealthcenter.org
Contact: David Rogers, CEO

Sunset Community Health Center's program, “Sunset Healthy Smiles,” will provide oral exams, X-rays, oral prophylaxis, topical fluoride treatments, dental sealants and restorative care needs to children living in poverty in Yuma County. The target population will be up to 180 children ages 0-18, and up to 20 pregnant women. Pregnant women will be provided with oral exams and cleanings. Sunset Healthy Smiles will provide these services using a Mobile Dental Van, which visits Title 1 schools in Yuma, AZ.

Tooth B.U.D.D.S.
$25,000 – Tooth BUDDS

Website: toothbudds.org
Contact: MiQuel McRae, Executive Director

Tooth BUDDS, Bringing Understanding of Dental Disease to Schools, is staffed by affiliated practice dental hygienists who provide preventive services free of charge to school children in Graham and Greenlee Counties. They also utilize teledentistry to connect patients with providers. Services include: assessment, dental cleaning, fluoride varnish, sealants, silver diamine fluoride and glass ionomer sealants. During the summer months, Tooth BUDDS will be providing these same services to seniors in long-term care facilities.

University of Arizona Mobile Health Program
$25,000 – OHPEN (Oral Health Prevention and Education) Wide Program

Website: fcm.arizona.edu/outreach/mobile-health-program
Contact: Patrick Rivers, Sr. Program Coordinator

The University of Arizona Mobile Health Program is a full-spectrum family medicine unit providing free, critical services to vulnerable populations in Tucson and Pima County. As part of the care to low-income communities, OHPEN Wide provides dental screenings, fluoride varnishes, and oral health education to children and pregnant women.

Valleylife
$5,000 – Dental Care for Persons with Developmental Disabilities

Website: valleylifeaz.org
Contact: Ann Polunsky, Grant Writer

Grant funding will be used to continue Valleylife’s partnership with A.T. Still to provide oral health instruction, exams, cleanings and emergency care to 110 residential.

Wesley Community and Health Centers
$13,240 – Equal Access to Oral Health Education and Dental Services for Children and Pregnant Women

Website: wesleycenterphx.org
Contact: Frank Nagy, Chief Development Officer

This program will provide oral health education and access to preventive dental services such as dental visits, X-rays, dental cleanings, dental sealants and fluoride varnish to uninsured children and low income (100% or below Federal Poverty Limit), uninsured, pregnant, primarily Hispanic, women living in south-central Phoenix and Maryvale. Grant funding will assist in expanding oral health education, increasing and improving access to dental services for about 30 pregnant women and 60 children. Over 300 children who attend after school and summer programs will be educated on the importance of good oral hygiene and every child will receive a "healthy smiles kit."

Winslow Indian Health Care Center, Inc. (WIHCC)
$25,000 – WIHCC Mobile Dental Program

Website: wihcc.com
Contact: Dr. Thomas Barnes, Chief of Dental

The WIHCC Mobile Dental Program travels to schools to deliver no-cost dental services to low-income children. The goal is to administer three dental treatments to 1,636 preschool children, and students in grades K-12 in a one-year period. The two fully equipped dental coaches are each staffed with two dentists, four dental hygienists, and six dental assistants. Grant funding will be used to hire two part-time dental hygienists to assist in the clinic.

Adelante Healthcare
$20,000 - Adelante Smiles

Website: adeltantehealthcare.com
Contact: Andrea Gonzales, Dental Practice Administrator

“Adelante Smiles” promotes good oral health and prevents dental disease in children and youth, with emphasis in underserved and uninsured communities. Children are referred to “Adelante Smiles” through Adelante Healthcare’s pediatric providers, WIC, and additional social service organizations including services to children and youth of migrant workers. The oral health services offered through the proposed program includes a full mouth series of x-rays, a cleaning, fluoride varnish application, and dental sealants. During the dental visit, children along with their parent/guardian will be surveyed to access their current oral health knowledge and receive hands-on oral health education and supplies. By offering dental services, oral health education, medical care, and social services assistance at Adelante Healthcare locations, we provide comprehensive health services to our pediatric patients.

Arizona Oral Health Coalition
$15,000 – Arizona Oral Health Coalition (AZ Assoc. of Comm. Health Centers is the fiduciary agent)

Website: aachc.org
Contacts: Zeena Hasan, Grants and Contracts Manager 
Jan Grutzius, Oral Health Program Manager

Arizona Oral Health Coalition will utilize funding to design a coalition website and fund staff to manage the coalition. The staff will work to engage all 23 community health centers across Arizona in this statewide coalition and develop accessible training and educational materials for the primary care workforce, consumers and other stateholders on Best Practices in oral health prevention services and treatment.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix
$20,000 – I.G. Homes Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: bgcmp.org
Contacts: Patrick DeLeon, Grants & Technical Writer
Bridget McDonald, Vice President of Club Operations

The Children's Dental Clinic is a stand-alone facility adjacent to a Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix Branch. The Clinic provides comprehensive oral health services to low-income, uninsured Valley children aged 5-18. The program is executed by two Dentists, two Dental Assistants, a Front Office Coordinator, and a rotating team of dental interns and dental hygiene students for which the Clinic collaborates with Phoenix College and A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health (ASDOH). Funding from DDAZF would be used to compensate the Clinic's passionate, talented, and dedicated staff, as well as its lead Dentist who specializes in preventive and diagnostic care. In 2016-2017, the Clinic will serve 850 unduplicated patients, and provide free screenings and referrals to 500 youth throughout Phoenix and the West Valley.

Children's Museum of Phoenix
$10,000 – Back to School Dental Hygiene Program

Website: childrensmuseumofphoenix.org
Contacts: Debra Paine, Director of Development
Kelley Fitzsimmons, Director of Education & Programs

Back to School Program promotes dental health education to children and their families who visit the Museum from July 1-August 12, 2017. We propose to provide the following programming/services as part of our "Back to School":

• Art Programming: During this time frame, roughly 22,000 children and their family members will be exposed to dental hygiene-themed art projects in our Art Studio, classrooms and at periodic "pop-up" programs throughout the Museum.
• Entertainment: Roughly 5,600 individuals will attend 20 oral health-themed magic shows offered between July 1 and August 12.
• Dental Supplies: During this time frame, we will distribute a Smile Bags to 100 educators who visit on Educator Day. The teachers, in turn, will give out the Smile Bags to their students - reaching roughly 3,000 children.

Chiricahua Community Health Center 
$20,000 – Integrated Oral Health Services

Website: cchci.org
Contacts: Susan Lange, Director of Community Programs
Lori Faccio, Dental Health Center Manager

Funds from the grant will be used to increase access to preventive dental health services at two of our pediatric clinics located in Douglas and in Sierra Vista. We would like to embed a dental hygienist into our medical practices at both of these locations so that children, who are primarily uninsured or underinsured, live at or below the poverty level, or who have special needs, can receive oral health instruction, screening, education, sealants and varnishes as part of their medical visit. To accomplish this, we will purchase two mobile dental delivery systems that are specific to the needs of a dental hygienist. We anticipate that our dental hygienist will be able to see 12 children, one day a week, in both Douglas and Sierra Vista (for a total of 24 children a week) over a period of 52 weeks resulting in 1200 children receiving dental services.

Desert Senita Community Health Center
$20,000 – Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tommorow

Website: desertsenita.org
Contact: Dr. Jennifer Lim, Dental Director

Desert Senita Dental Center (DSDC) plans to continue to travel to schools in Gila Bend and Ajo, where there is little to no access to dental care, to provide screenings and fluoride varnish treatments/silver diamine fluoride treatments for approximately 300 children ages 0 through age 18. DSDC plans to teach oral hygiene instruction to children and their teachers, refer the children back to the office for sealants and cleanings, as necessary, and distribute Smile Bags.

Dignity Health East Valley
$20,000 – Dignity Health Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org/news/dental-clinic
Contacts: Laurel Vetsch, Grants Manager
Diana Wesphal, Clinic Coordinator

Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienists provide preventive clinical services to children through age 18 at the dental clinic, plus provide screenings and fluoride varnish applications for children and screenings for pregnant women at locations throughout the community. Grant funds will be used to provide 200 preventive appointments at the clinic, oral health education for 1400 children in community locations and 250 screenings and fluoride varnish applications for children age 6 – 18 in community locations.

El Rio Community Health Center 
$20,000 – El Rio Integrated Dental Expansion Program

Website: elrio.org
Contacts: Brenda Goldsmith, Executive Director of El Rio Health Center Foundation
Candace Clausen, Dental Manager

The El Rio Integrated Dental Expansion Program encompasses a comprehensive health care approach where pediatricians, OB/GYN and midwifery teams work with the El Rio Department to engage and empower over 3,000 low-income parents, children and pregnant woman in oral health and hygiene instruction, education, screenings, awareness, and ongoing dental care.

Esperanca
$15,000 – Learning With A Smile

Website: esperanca.org
Contacts: Mckenzie Simmons, Development Director
Maria Valenzuela, Phoenix Program Director

“Learning with a Smile” provides culturally sensitive oral health education to 4,000 at-risk children ages 0-18 and 200 parents living in neighborhoods that lack health resources, to train 3-4 promotoras to provide oral health education, and to incorporate oral heath education in obesity-prevention classes. A $15,000 grant would provide for 1,117 children to receive preventive oral health education in this program.

Flagstaff Medical Center 
$10,000 – Dental Disease Prevention among Children With Chronic/Disabling Conditions

Website: nahealth.com
Contacts: Marcus Sharp, Interim Director of Children’s Health Center
Amy Rizza, Case Worker

“Dental Disease Prevention amonth Children with Chronic and Disabling Conditions” provides electric toothbrush kits, flouride toothpaste and Fluoride Varnish care for CRS patients at FMC's Children’s Health Center. These children suffer from chronic or disabling conditions which inhibit their ability to use a regular toothbrush. Many come from low-income families and cannot afford to invest in an electric toothbrush. Other charitable donations will be used to provide families with replacement brushes as needed. Clinic staff will provide instruction to families on proper use of the brushes, and will provide education on preventive oral health practices. The Nurse Practitioner will identify and apply the Flouride Varnish to those children who are at risk of tooth decay, primarly children from the Indian Reservations and also those that live in outlying communities. These services will be provided over a one-year period. The project will serve 350 children with toothbrushes and 200 with varnish.

La Paz Mohave Oral Health Coalition
$15,000 – LaPaz Mohave Oral Health Coalition (River Cities United Way is the fiduciary agent)

Website: rivercitiesunitedway.org
Contact: Ashley Wood, Community Impact Director

The Coalition will hold quarterly meetings with a goal of 12 people per meeting out of 55 members. The group will focus the majority of its efforts on the Oral Health Education Program which has been the focus of the coalition’s first year. The Oral Health Education program is a two-week, practical curriculum to teach kindergarteners preventive dental care. It involves daily in-classroom toothbrushing after lunch, followed by an educational component that includes age-appropriate STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathmatics). This program has been approved for incorporation into the Mohave County School District’s kindergarden classrooms in the 2016-2017 school year, which directly impacts 1,300 children.

Legacy Foundation Christown YMCA Dental Clinic 
$15,000 – Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Website: vosymca.org
Contacts: Heidi Wildy, Grant Writer/Manager
Jared Kittelson, Executive Director

The Dental Clinic educates children and parents/caregivers in good oral healthcare practices, and provides low-income, uninsured children access to preventive dental care. Funding will be used for community outreach efforts, education efforts in Y youth development programs, and for preventive dental care services at the Clinic. Our goal is to reach 1000 underserved children through outreach efforts, 530 children and parents/caregivers through education efforts, and provide 45 low-income, uninsured children with preventive dental services at the clinic at no charge. We will target underserved children (ages 18 and under) from low-income west metropolitan Phoenix neighborhoods. A specific focus will be placed on reaching pre-teens and teens—populations identified by Clinic's director as markedly underserved.

Maggie's Place 
$20,000 – Dental Program at Maggie’s Place

Website: maggiesplace.org
Contacts: Laura Magruder, Executive Director
Julie Carlberg, Director of Programs

Funds would be used for a collaborative partnership between Maggie’s Place and the Brighter Way Institute (formerly Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) Dental Clinic for the Homeless). Through this partnership, the Brighter Way Institute provides the opportunity for Maggie’s Place guests (pregnant and parenting women in need) to receive preventive dental care in a facility specializing in the needs of the homeless population. Funding would also be used to provide in-house oral health educational workshops and training to our mothers and their children, plus preventative screenings and cleanings for 100+ pregnant women living in our 4 Arizona homes in 2017.

Marana Healthcare 
$20,000 – Preventive Dental Care for Pregnant Women

Website: mhchelathcare.org
Contacts: Daniel Robles, Dental Manager
Dr. Vijay Patel, Dental Director

The funding will be used to provide a comprehensive dental exam, x-rays, and cleanings to uninsured pregnant woman. Our OBGYN department will be handing out referrals to their patients so that we can schedule appointments. All of funding will go towards the exam, intraoral complete x-rays, prophylaxis cleaning or debridement. A total value of $302.00 (incl prophy) or $372.00 (incl. debridement) The funding will serve 65 uninsured pregnant women, but we estimate about 90 will be a part of the program (from current year usage), leaving MHC to subsidize the care for 25 patients once grant funding is depleted.

Maricopa County Oral Health Leaders, Advocates & Resources (Molar Coalition) 
$12,500 – MOLAR Coalition

Website: molarcoalition.org
Contact: Emma Violante, Chair of the Board of Directors

MOLAR is an alliance working to increase the ability of public and private organizations in Maricopa County to improve the oral and overall health of their constituents. Funding will be used to support the Affiliated Practice Toolkit which will provide 16 credits required for Affilated Practice Dental Hygienists. Topics will include public health, medical emergencies, pediatric or special needs dentistry and business strategies. Funding will also be used to support a coalition coordinator. This position will be instrumental in helping MOLAR facilitate activities and achieve its goals.

Mariposa Community Health Center 
$18,758 – Santa Cruz County Oral Health Coalition

Contacts: Patty Molina, Senior Director of Community Health Services
Alicia Villa, Prevention Manager

Mariposa Community Health Center requests $18,758 to initiate the multi-sector Santa Cruz County Oral Health Coalition. Although this coalition will focus on oral health for all groups, the coalition will focus on formulating and executing strategies to reach the approximately 2,000 children under age 21 who are enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid (AHCCCS) who are not accessing dental care as they are unaware they have these dental benefits. An innovative aspect of the coalition is that they can leverage Mariposa’s partnerships with schools to refer children and adolescents to dental care as part of school-linked health care.

Navajo-Apache-Gila County Oral Health Coalition (NAG)
$15,000 – NAG Coalition (Navajo County is the fiduciary agent)

Website: navajocountyaz.gov
Contact: Connie Baine, NAG Coalition Coordinator

Navajo County Public Health Services District will use the 2017 Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation grant award to continue funding the Navajo-Apache-Gila (NAG) Oral Health Coalition. The funds will be used to support the salary for a Coalition Coordinator. The Coalition Coordinator will be responsible for coalition development, scheduling a minimum of eight meetings annually, member recruitment, outreach, communication and activities, which will serve approximately 10,000 children/parents.

Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH)
$20,000 – School Dental Screenings for Low-income Children

Website: noahhelps.org
Contacts: Jennie Miller, Assoc. VP, Grants & Contracts
Jackie Sutter, Dental Hygienist

Funding will support NOAH’s school screening program, which provides oral health education and screenings for 7,000 children in 23 Title 1 elementary and middle schools in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Children found to have urgent dental issues are referred to a NOAH dental clinic for treatment.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul 
$18,550 – Healthy Mom Healthy Kiss

Website: svdpaz.org
Contacts: Kara Beer, Grants Manager
Dr. Ken Snyder, Dental Director

Funding from Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation will be used for the Healthy Mom Healthy Kiss program (inaugurated last year with the help of DDAZF) and expanded to include young children who attend the program with their moms. The grant funding will support an estimated 25 moms, 25 babies (through age 12 mos.), and 12 children and provide a total 130-140 visits for preventive care and oral health education.

Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition (SAZOHC) 
$19,260 – SAZOHC

Website: pima.gov
Contacts: Margaret Perry, Program Coordinator
Alicia Thompson, Coalition Coordinator

The first year of funding provided the catalyst to reconvene the Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition (SAzOHC) and begin to participate in the statewide oral health coalition. The second year of funding will be used to continue to develop and strengthen the SAzOHC. By the end of year two, the SAzOHC will have used the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) process to develop its strategic plan. The service area for the SAzOHC has traditionally covered three counties with a total population of just over one million persons in 2013. The additional four counties listed make the total population covered close to 2 million persons with an estimated 19% living in poverty.

Southwest Human Development 
$20,000 – Oral Health Program for Children, Families and Expectant Mothers

Website: swhd.org
Contacts: Lisa Olivas-Cook, Grants Manager
Jen Lambert, Senior Program Manager

Southwest Human Development’s Oral Health Program for Children, Families, and Expectant Mothers promotes oral health, increases knowledge of preventive oral health measures, and increases access to preventive care for pregnant women. The program is presented as a component of our Healthy Families and Head Start/Early Head Start programs and will serve about 8,560 low income children and family members from throughout Maricopa County. The funds will be used to educate children and families about the need for daily and lifelong oral health care, preventive screenings, and the importance of having a dental home where any identified problems can be addressed before they become emergencies, and to pay for preventive dental care for pregnant women referred by SWHD to partnering community dental clinics.

St. Elizabeth's Health Center
$20,000 – Dental Prevention Clinic

Website: saintehc.org
Contacts: Melanie Morgan, Director of Development and Marketing
Karen Wood, Dental Director

St. Elizabeth's Health Center, in partnership with Delta Dental of Arizona, will provide free evaluations, fluoride varnishes, cleanings and X-rays for at least 80 uninsured children and pregnant women in the Tucson area at its facility. Additionally, the partnership will also allow us to provide outreach to children at local schools through school-based dental clinics serving at least 220 children. These clinics will include educational presentations, fluoride treatments and exams.

Sun Life Family Health Center
$18,000 – Sun Life Oral Health Screening Project

Website: slfhc.org
Contacts: Michelov Rhau, Grant Writer
Alex Cota, Dental Office Manager

Sun Life Family Health Center (Sun Life) requests funding in the amount of $18,000 to implement school-based oral health screening services in Pinal County, Arizona. The organization will deliver these services to children 18 years and younger. Sun Life is proposing to serve 900 children in the targeted age group at Pinal County School Districts of Casa Grande, Eloy, Florence, Maricopa, Mammoth, Picacho, San Manuel and Stanfield. Oral health screening services will be provided on-site at elementary schools in the designated districts as well as during health fairs and community events throughout the County.

Sunset Community Health Center 
$20,000 – Sunset Healthy Smiles

Website: mysunsethealth.org
Contacts: David Rogers, Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Satish Kumar, Dental Director

Sunset Community Health Center's program Sunset Healthy Smiles will provide oral exam, x-rays, oral prophylaxis, topical fluoride treatment, dental sealants and list of needed restorative care needs to children living in poverty in Yuma County, Arizona. The target population will be up to 150 children with ages ranging from 0-18; and up to 50 pregnant women will be provided with oral exams and oral prophylaxis. Sunset will provide these services through the use of a Mobile Dental Van, which will go to specific schools per a pre-arranged schedule; and Sunset dental clinics. Sunset mobile unit will also offer dental exams at local health fairs and community events throught the county as often and practical as possible.

U of A Mobile Clinic 
$20,000 – OHPEN Wide Program

Website: sucedd.fcm.arizona.edu/mobile-health
Contact: Patrick Rivers, Senior Program Coordinator

The University of Arizona’s Mobile Health Program provides preventive oral health services and education to school-age children and pregnant teens and women without access to dental care. The OHPEN Wide Program provides services to children where they attend school, and at MHP prenatal clinics where pregnant teens and women already receive care. Funding will pay for supplies and equipment, and to support MHP salaries to provide oral health instruction, exams, topical fluoride varnishing, and referrals to local dental centers for restorative services.

Adelante Healthcare
$15,000 - Mommies2Be

Grant funding will be used to support Adelante Healthcare's Mommies 2Be program. This novel project will provide preventive screening oral health care and essential education for low-income and uninsured pregnant women. Participants without insurance will be referred to the program from Adelante's OB-GYN, WIC, and/or eligibility services, thereby increasing our internal efficacy and improving external outreach. Participating patients will receive an oral health screening assessment, full mouth series of x-rays and a cleaning. Approximately one month after the birth of their newborn, Adelante will follow up with the new mothers, assess their knowledge acquisition with a post-survey and provide additional education about the oral care for their baby. The Mommies2Be program will engage and educate our targeted population and provide preventive oral healthcare. By offering dental services and oral health education at the same primary healthcare location and collaborating with other community providers, we are able to provide comprehensive health services to our pre-natal patients.

Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers
$20,000 - Project PITCH

AACHC proposes to continue its activities previously funded by Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation that center on educating FQHC medical and dental providers and staff on the importance of oral health care during pregnancy, anticipatory guidance, and early initiation of routine preventive pediatric dental care. The proposed program activities will include on-site and ongoing training for medical and dental providers and staff and creation of a best practice toolkit that providers can use as a resource in providing oral health services to pregnant women and children under the age of 2.

Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health at A.T. Still University
$15,000 - Text2Floss

This outreach grant focuses specifically on Community Health Center staff and locations. Text2Floss is a nationally successful preventive program of A.T. Still University harnesses mobile phone technology to increase oral health literacy, knowledge and improve oral health behaviors in patients served by the Community Health Centers. The program is a free, 7-day interactive text messaging service that helps develop preventive oral hygiene habits by providing reminders to floss, brush, and rinse along with age-related tips for optimal oral health; a website; and an iOS and Android mobile application (app). In Text2Floss: An Innovative Option to Improve Oral Health Behavior, ASDOH proposes to further promote statewide use of Text2Floss.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Colorado River
$25,000 - Bright Smiles

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River are respectfully requesting $25,000.00 in grant funding from the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation for our “Bright Smiles” program, scheduled during the 2016 Summer Day Camp program and continuing through the 2016-17 After School program. “Bright Smiles” creates a professional partnership with “Just 4 Kids” Dentistry, with offices in Bullhead City and Kingman, Arizona. This proposal will provide 150 Boys & Girls Club members (75 from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River, 75 from the Boys & Girls Club of Kingman) with comprehensive oral exams, x-rays, prophylaxis and application of sealants over a span of sixteen separate appointments. Boys & Girls Club members participating in “Bright Smiles” will be those kids who “fall between the cracks” and are considered underinsured with regard to dental coverage. Each child served will range in ages from 5 to 17. Additionally, each child will benefit from our “Crest Cavity-Free Zone” instructional program that will occur at the club prior to the scheduled appointment. Our education component originates from a longtime partnership and model developed between Crest and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix
$15,000 - Children's Dental Clinic

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix's (BGCMP) Children’s Dental Clinic serves low-income, uninsured youth aged 5 – 18. Funding from the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation (DDAZF) would go directly toward compensating our Dentists and Dental Assistants for providing preventive services.

Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), Inc.
$25,000 - The Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry at Murphy

The Parsons Center is the dental home for nearly 3,500 unduplicated children in South Phoenix. There are 10 stationary operatories in our newly-redesigned permanent dental clinic. In addition to general preventative and restorative dental care, our offerings now include on-site conscious sedation, endodontics, oral surgery, and orthodontics. With our six portable operatories, our dental clinic's capacity has more than doubled. This increased capacity allows us to expand services to the Isaac Elementary School District (IESD), a district comprised of 11 Title I schools, all located within a 5-mile radius of the clinic. While the insured IESD children have had access to dental care, the uninsured/Medicaid-ineligible children have not. A $25,000 grant will cover 60% of the Parsons Center’s Mobile OPS Coordinator/Dental Assistant's salary. Based on a $25,000 grant, the dental assistant will provide 2,000 unduplicated children (6/hour) with coronal polishing (pediatric cleanings) and fluoride during in-school clinics in the MSD.

Children's Museum of Phoenix
$13,000 - "Back to School" Dental Hygiene Program Support

The grant will cover the following educational programs:

1. Art programming: Roughly 22,000 children and their adult caregivers will create oral health-themed arts projects at programs held daily in the Museum's Art Studio, and through "pop-up" programs throughout the Museum between July 1 and August 14.
2. Entertainment: 5,600 museum attendees will attend an oral health-themed magic show. A total of four shows will be held on the Free First Friday Nights in July and August (two on each night), and 12 additional shows between July 1 and August 14.
    

Desert Senita Dental Center
$20,000 - Preventive Oral Health for a Brighter Tomorrow

Desert Senita Dental Center is part of a Community Health Center and the only one in Ajo, Arizona. The plan to serve preventive oral health care, screenings and oral hygiene instructions for patients ages 0 - 18 and pregnant women who are either uninsured or underinsured or do not have dental services in their city.

Dignity Health Foundation - East Valley
$12,000 - Dignity Health Children's Dental Clinic

Funding from Delta Dental of AZ Foundation will be used to support the Dignity Health Community Oral Health Programs by providing 200 preventive appointments at the Chandler Children's Dental Clinic, oral health education for 200 children and adults in community locations and 400 screenings and fluoride varnish applications for children ages 6 - 18 in community locations. The Children’s Dental Clinic uses Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienists to provide preventive clinical services to children through age 18 and community-based education to children and adults.

Esperanca, Inc.
$15,000 – Learning with a Smile

Proposed funding will be used to

1. put systems in place to sustain the growth from 2,000 to 4,500 children and parents receiving oral health education that was made possible by 2015 Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation’s grant
2. facilitate access to dental care for uninsured children
3. expand our network of volunteer oral health educators to maintain our expanded reach
4. provide leadership within both local and national oral health coalitions
5. improve evaluation tools for pre-literate children in order to enhance both programming and our ability to seek funding from local and national foundations

Flagstaff Medical Center
$10,000 – 2016 Dental Disease Prevention among Children with Chronic & Disabling Conditions

Funds will support the purchase of electric toothbrush kits for patients who receive care through Children’s Rehabilitative Services (CRS), a program of FMC’s Children’s Health Center. These children suffer from chronic or disabling conditions which inhibit their ability to use a regular toothbrush. Many come from low-income families and cannot afford to invest in an electric toothbrush. Other charitable donations received by the Children’s Health Center will be used to provide families with replacement brushes as needed/able. FMC case managers will provide instruction to families on proper use of the brushes, and will provide education on preventive oral health practices.

Legacy Foundation Chris-Town
$12,500 – Legacy Foundation Chris-Town YMCA Dental Clinic

Requested funds will be to increase utilization of our Legacy Foundation Chris-Town YMCA dental clinic for preventative oral health care services. This goal will be achieved by increasing outreach efforts to underserved youth and pregnant women and providing financial assistance to remove barriers. The YMCA's ability to reach many underserved youth and pregnant woman and provide a holistic approach to wellness strengthens Mountain Park's impact on reducing health disparities.

Maggie's Place, Inc.
$15,000 – Dental Program at Maggie's Place

Proposed funds would be used for a collaborative partnership between Maggie’s Place and the Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) Dental Clinic for the homeless. Through this partnership, CASS provides the opportunity for Maggie’s Place guests (pregnant women in need) to receive dental care in a dental facility specializing in the needs of the homeless population. This year, in August, we opened a fourth home in Mesa. Your grant funds will enable us to serve the Mesa moms in our new home, serve additional moms from our other three homes, and serve Alumnae moms as well (women who have lived in one of our homes and receive ongoing support from us in the form of trainings, scholarships, bus passes, emergency expenses, and emotional support). Dental care increases our moms’ overall health, self-confidence, and quality of life. The goal is also for them to pass down healthy oral habits to their children.

Marana Healthcare
$20,000 – Preventive Dental Care for Pregnant Women

Funding from Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation will be used to assist uninsured pregnant mothers with second and third trimester dental screenings/cleanings. To assist with long term dental health for themselves and their babies, our providers will provide in office education for all mothers and our case coordinators will provide follow-up education and scheduling assistance for baby’s first dental appointment post-partum.

Mountain Park Health Center
$49,800 over two years – Screenings and Cleanings for Moms to Be

Mountain Park Health Center (MPHC) proposes to again provide oral examinations and periodontal scaling (as needed) for 166 low-income women (<250% of the federal poverty level, with most well below that level) receiving prenatal care from an MPHC Women’s Health Care provider. This grant will allow them to combat the moderate to severe periodontal disease seen in 70% of our prenatal patients, which increases risks for preterm and low weight births. Our Women’s Health Care providers will inform pregnant women meeting eligibility criteria of the opportunity for dental care through this grant and initiate a formal referral to the dental department. There is NO dental benefit for pregnant mothers.

Native Health - Native American Community Health Center, Inc.
$50,000 over two years – Native Kids Dental Health Improvement Program

NATIVE HEALTH is requesting a third year of funding to continue the Native Kids Dental Health Improvement Project initiated in January 2014. NATIVE HEALTH provides dental care and preventive education targeted to 2,500 American Indian and other underserved children and their caregivers each project year. The project will additionally provide fluoride treatments to 2,000 American Indian/underserved children each year. Grant funds will be used to continue employment of a Child Dental Health Educator to coordinate, attend and provide oral health education and a Dental Hygienist to provide fluoride application at 45 events in 2016. The project will additionally continue to improve dental care among children served in a variety of NATIVE HEALTH programs that serve children and their caregivers including, but not limited to Home Visiting, a parenting skills program; Health Start, a service targeted to high-risk mothers and their children and Women Infant Children program (WIC Nutrition).

Navajo Nation
$25,000 – Navajo Nation Oral Health Coalition

The Navajo Community Health Representative Program will build the necessary organizational and workforce capacity to expand access to oral health education, prevention and treatment services to all new and expecting mothers, infants and children throughout the Navajo Nation. Navajo Community Health Representative (CHR) Program will: 1) organize and manage a Navajo Nation Oral Health Coalition; 2) train 10 CHRs in each service unit with essential dental skills; 3) train one comm. dental health coordinator (CDHC) in each service unit; 4) design and implement scopes of work for CHRs and CDHCs in collaboration with IHS and 638 service units; 5) Strategically position CHRs and CDHCs them to serve as the tribe’s primary drivers of community-based educational and preventative services.

NOAH - Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health, HonorHealth
$20,000 – Expanded School Outreach Programs

Funding from the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation will support the salaries of the dental hygienists who will serve approximately 9,500 elementary and middle school children by providing oral health education and screening of urgent dental issues. This grant serves both Desert Mission in Sunnyslope (previously known as John C Lincoln Health) and the Palomino Dental Clinic operated by Scottsdale Healthcare. These organizations merged and became HonorHealth. The grant funding serves both clinics and the surrounding schools where outreach occurs.

Overgaard Ponderosa Lions Foundation
$2,390 – Children's Dental Health Awareness Program

Grant monies are to be used not only by the Ponderosa Lions Foundation direct expenses but additionally to assist other Lions Clubs in Coconino and Yavapai Counties, and the (Gila County) Payson Kiwanis Club, a 501c3 service organization to create their own dental health educational program. Dental related books, tooth timers, dental stickers, tooth bracelets, tooth pencils and tooth paper bag puppets will be used to educate, promote and motivate children, parents & new parents, caregivers and teachers on the importance of good oral health and healthy eating/drinking practices. Due to our previous carryover grant funds in the amount of $6,274.95 it is requested to utilize these carryover funds for the 2016/2017 grant year for; $2,300 mileage, $3,000 dental related books, $700 ink, $50 paper, $35 labels for books, $100 infant pretzel tooth brushes and to replenish & expand drinks for “Rethink Your Drink”.

Phoenix Rescue Mission
$12,500 – Changing Lives Center's Gateway to Comprehensive Dental Care for the Homeless

This grant would be used to support the cost of staff and provide needed supplies to continue the preventative and educational dental services offered to include up to 100 children and 25 pregnant women at Phoenix Rescue Mission’s Changing Lives Center each year. These funds would grow the dental program into new community partnerships and increased client access to all levels of dental care through the use of teledentistry.

Pima County Health Department
$8,200 – Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition

The Pima County Health Department Oral Health Program is requesting funding to reestablish the Southern Arizona Oral Health Coalition (SAOHC). PCHD was part of the original Pima County Oral Health Coalition in 2002 and helped to identify unmet needs in the County. The Coalition continued for several years and provided a great networking opportunity for agencies interested in and already providing oral health services. Reestablishment of the SAOHC will unite dedicated professionals, community members, key stakeholders, and oral health advocates to address the burden of oral disease in underserved children and adults in Pima County and increase awareness of oral health as an essential part of overall health. Funding will support salaries to organize and implement the Coalition and help fund professional development opportunities through online learning and attendance at the National Oral Health Conference. Pima County will be responsible for recruiting coalition members, planning and facilitating meetings, providing a meeting space, documenting meeting minutes and attendance, implementing the evaluation process, and submitting reports to the grantor. The development of vision and mission statements and the implementation of a needs assessment will help guide the Coalition in creating a strategic plan to outline activities over the next three years. Identifying ongoing support and funding to sustain SAOHC is a priority and will be included in the plan. Establishing a local Coalition will also help to support the efforts in developing a statewide coalition in Arizona.

River Cities United Way
$15,000 – La Paz/Mohave Oral Health Coalition

The proposed funding request will be used to strengthen the existing La Paz/Mohave Oral Health Coalition by increasing awareness, expanding the scope of the work that is in place, and developing new partnerships with the potential to open up new funding sources in the area of direct assistance to the public and reduced cost services through mobilizing resources.

SARRC - Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center
$19,500 – Oral Health Services for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

As the state's leading nonprofit serving individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a vital part of our mission is to provide a lifetime of support for individuals with autism and their families, including difficulties with oral hygiene. Recently, we have been working with an alarming number of individuals who cannot brush or will not let anyone brush their teeth due to their developmental disorder. With this request, SARRC will provide intensive support in the area of oral hygiene to include, but not limited to the following: direct prevention services, oral health instruction, and education/preparation for standard dental screening.

Additionally, we will use a portion of this request to expand upon a recent client success story that used a series of video models prompting individuals on how to properly brush their teeth on their own. A variety of subjects from different gender and ethnic backgrounds will allow SARRC and other partner agencies to use these videos specifically to fit the needs of individuals with ASD.

Southwest Human Development
$20,000 – Oral Health Program for Children, Families, and Expectant Mothers

Southwest Human Development (SWHD) will use the requested funds to offer oral health education for low-income children and families participating in our Healthy Families and Head Start/Early Head Start programs. A portion of funding will be used by both programs to promote oral health, increase knowledge of preventive measures, and increase access to preventive care. SWHD uses several different strategies to deliver oral health information through these programs, including classroom instruction and activities, family-friendly events, and home visitation. Additionally, SWHD is asking the DDAZF to support an expansion of services to provide access to preventive dental care for pregnant women. These two programs each serve about 100 pregnant women (total of 200), all of who are at or below poverty level. SWHD would create the Expectant Mothers' Dental Fund to allow payment for screenings and cleanings for this population. We would partner with community dental clinics to provide services for referred pregnant women and SWHD would pay for services directly from the Fund. If additional dental treatment is needed, SWHD will work to find other resources, following our current standard of practice, to help women meet those needs.

St. Elizabeth's Health Center
$18,040 – Dental Prevention Clinic

St. Elizabeth’s Health Center, in partnership with Delta Dental, will provide free evaluations, fluoride varnishes, cleanings and X-rays for uninsured children, youth and pregnant women in the Greater Tucson area. In 2015, we initiated this program in partnership with Pio Decimo Center. In 2016, we will expand the program by pursuing additional community partners. Specifically, we will target schools and centers with qualifying uninsured and underserved constituents. The program will include 3 basic elements:

1. Phase 1 of the program will involve 10 on-site clinics to be held at area schools and centers. The goal will be to see 20 young people at each clinic, or 200 in all. We will provide a short educational session on oral hygiene and the importance of preventative dental care. In addition, we will provide free dental screenings and fluoride varnishes to all interested participants.
2. At SEHC, children referred from on-site clinics – as well as other uninsured children who meet requirements for Federal Poverty Levels 1-3 – will receive free evaluations, cleanings and X-rays.
3. SEHC will also offer free fluoride varnishes, cleanings, X-rays and dental hygiene counseling to uninsured pregnant women who meet requirements for Federal Poverty Levels 1-3. The goal will be to see 100 patients at SEHC.

With this program, we will see a total of 300 persons over the course of the 12-month cycle: 200 at our satellite clinics and 100 at SEHC.

St. Vincent de Paul
$15,500 – Healthy Mom, Healthy Kiss

A grant from Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation in support of Healthy Mom Healthy Kiss will allow the dental clinic at St. Vincent de Paul’s downtown Phoenix campus to greatly affect the well-being of low-income pregnant women and their infants through increased access to dental care and education. Healthy Mom Healthy Kiss seeks to improve the oral health of low-income pregnant women, and in the process, help them understand the lifelong importance of oral health and adopt oral health behaviors that reduce the risk of early childhood caries in their offspring.

Sun Life Family Health Center
$15,000 – Sun Life Oral Health Screening Project

Sun Life Family Health Center requests funding in the amount of $25,000 per year during a three-year period to implement school-based oral health screening services in Pinal County, Arizona. The organization will target school children, age six and older, for these services. Sun Life is proposing to serve 600 children per year in school districts of Casa Grande, Eloy, Florence, Stanfield and Arizona City. Oral health screening services will be provided on-site at elementary schools in the designated districts, as well as health fairs and community events throughout the county.

Sunset Community Health Center, Inc.
$20,000 – Sunset Healthy Smiles

Sunset Community Health Center will cover the costs of initial exams, radiographs, fluoride and/or dental sealants at a variety of locations across both urban and rural areas of Yuma County for children living in poverty but not covered by AHCCCS.

Verde Valley Medical Center
$42,742 over three years – Healthy Families Oral Health Education

This project provides dental education, training, and supplies to 40-46 families with a newborn over a year’s time in the greater Verde Valley region of Yavapai County. Project components are delivered via VVMC’s Healthy Families program, a home visiting program designed to assist new parents on a wide range of child-focused topics, including oral health. Specifically, funds will be used to support a portion of the staff time needed to implement project activities, and the purchase of related activity supplies. Families are enrolled in the Healthy Families Home Visiting Program until the infant turns five years old. Project goals are to improve oral health, provide preventive education and training, and help infants get a healthy start when their first tooth comes in.

Navajo County Public Health
$43,560 over two years - Navajo-Apache-Gila Oral Health Coalition (NAG Coalition)
2015: $21,780; 2016: $21,780

The NAG Coalition works to communicate, coordinate and engage members of the coalition to improve oral health in the Navajo, Apache and Gila counties. The grant funds a part-time coordinator to manage these critical responsibilities. The NAG Coalition is active, involved and growing. In the last year, the group is responsible for creating cross-agency collaborations along the Mogollon Rim that expand services and programs. In addition, the group created continuing education programs featuring experts discussing recent research in oral health. Leadership by the Navajo County Department of Public Health has been instrumental to the spirit of cooperation, partnership and expansion of this effort.

River Cities United Way
$4,000 over two years - Kids Bright and Healthy
2015: $2,000; 2016: $2,000

The grant covered cleanings, x-rays and sealants for approximately 17 students who are homeless, low income, or have high deductibles for their insurances. This program matches 50% of the amount paid by the parent.

University of Arizona Foundation
$50,000 over two years - Mobile Health Program
2015: $25,000; 2016: $25,000

The Mobile Health Program at the University of Arizona reached an underserved group of schools without access to dental care. By going directly to the schools, the mobile program removes the barriers of transportation, parents with multiple jobs, the difficulties of finding low-cost services and setting appointments. Schools located in six zip codes within Pima County are the focus, but pregnant mothers and their families enrolled in the Mobile Health OB Program and the clients at Teen Pregnancy Services will also be included. Exams, cleanings, topical fluoride, and referrals to local dental centers are essential services for these head Start programs, pregnant woman and teens.

Coconino County Public Health
$12,154 over three years - Told First Hand Program
2014: $12,154; 2015: $0; 2016: $0

Told First hand provides tobacco education to youth in Coconino County using speaker Jason Marsee, who makes approximately 30 presentations each year to school children about his experience of watching his older teenage brother die from oral cancer related to his use of chew tobacco.

El Rio Health Center Foundation
$45,000 over three years - Early Childhood Caries Prevention Program
2014: $15,000; 2015: $15,000; 2016: $15,000

El Rio Health Center is providing dental screenings, fluoride varnish and oral health education and follow-up dental care to families in the pediatric medical clinic sites. Funds also support the expansion of services to pregnant women and to a new medical location with no access to dental services.

A.T. Still University (ATSU); Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH)
$25,000 - Text2Floss: An Innovative Technology to Improve Oral Health

Website: text2floss.com
Contact: Tony Hashemian, DDS, Associate Dean for Global Oral Health

A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH), has created Text2Floss, a program to increase optimal oral health literacy and improve oral health behaviors through mobile phone technology. Free to the public, the Text2Floss program consists of an interactive text messaging service that helps develop preventive oral hygiene habits by providing reminders to floss, brush, and rinse along with age-related tips for optimal oral health, a website, and an iOS mobile application (app). ASDOH proposes to promote Text2Floss in Arizona’s safety-net dental clinics (e.g., community health centers), targeting 5000 pregnant mothers, children, and youth through 18 years of age. Mobile app is available at the App Store on your mobile device or at text2floss.com.

Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers
$24,787 - PITCH (Prenatal/pediatric Interventions To prevent Caries and improve oral Health)

Website: aachc.org
Contact: Jessica Yanow, MPH, Director of Women’s Health Programs and Grant Administration

The PITCH Program educates Federally Qualified Community Health Centers (FQCHC) medical and dental providers and staff on the importance of oral health care during pregnancy, anticipatory guidance, and early initiation of routine preventive pediatric dental care. Activities include on-site training for medical and dental providers and staff and the creation of a best practice toolkit that providers can use as a resource in providing oral health services to pregnant women and children under the age of 2. This project targets all 19 FQHCs and 2 FQHC Look-Alikes in the state, which include over 148 sites and cover 14 of Arizona’s 15 counties.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix
$15,000 - Children's Dental Clinic

Website: bgcmp.org
Contact: Joan Nolan, Grants Manager

At the I.G. Homes Branch of the Boys and Girls Club in South Phoenix, the Dental Clinic cares for 900 children. The clinic provides a total of 2,000 diagnostic exams and x-rays, and 4,000 preventive services including cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants, as needed. All patients and their parents receive instruction in proper brushing and flossing and guidance about nutrition and the avoidance of tobacco products to maintain a healthy mouth and teeth. Patients and their family members also receive dental supplies to take home to help practice good oral hygiene.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River
$10,140 - Summer of Smiles

Website: clubriver.org
Contact: Paul LaVoie, Resource Development Director

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River will hold a “Summer of Smiles” program during the 2015 Summer Day Camp. This collaborative program partners with “Just 4 Kids” Dentistry in Bullhead City to provide 48 Boys & Girls Club members and 48 Southwest Behavioral Health Services clients covered by AHCCCS to receive comprehensive oral exams, x-rays, prophylaxis and application of sealants over a two-day period during 2015 Summer Day Camp. All participants range in age of 6-17 and are considered underinsured with regard to dental coverage. Additionally, each child benefits from “Crest Cavity-Free Zone” instructional program during the camp.

Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc. (CASS)
$15,000 - Program: The Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry at Murphy School District

Website: cassaz.org
Contact: Dr. Kris Volcheck, DDS, MBA, Executive Director of Dental Programs

The Parsons Center is the dental home for over 2,100 children in the Murphy School District in South Phoenix. The Parsons Center has increased capacity due to recent renovation, which allows it to expand into the neighboring Isaac Elementary School District. The center targets children ages 0 – 14 years old. Funding partially provides salary for Parsons Center’s registered dental hygienist, who provides semi-annual cleanings, fluoride varnishes, age-appropriate dental sealants, and instructions on proper brushing and flossing techniques to 4,000 children during the grant period.

Desert Mission Children's Dental Clinic
$15,000 - School Outreach Program

Contact: Jennie Miller, Grants and Research Manager

Desert Mission’s Children’s Dental Clinic will expand the School Outreach Program in 2015. A dental hygienist provides oral health education and screenings for urgent dental needs to 10,000 elementary and middle school children in the Washington Elementary, Osborne, and Deer Valley School Districts. In addition, the funding helps support a new unique incentive program to encourage recall exam visits by providing families a voucher for food boxes at Desert Mission Food Bank when they return for the second visit.

Dignity Health Foundation East Valley
$6,100 - Children's Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org/news/dental-clinic
Contact: Laurel Vetsch, Grants Manager

Dignity Health Foundation’s Children’s Dental Clinic currently offers children ages 0-5 oral health screening and fluoride varnish applications through their Early Childhood Oral Health Program. Funding from the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation will expand the ability to provide these services to children ages 6 through 18 years at community locations throughout the Phoenix East Valley. Screenings and fluoride applications will be provided at WIC offices, immunization clinics, family resource centers, health fairs and community events in Tempe, Chandler, Guadalupe, Mesa, Gilbert and Queen Creek. It is expected that the funding will allow 400 children ages 6-18 to be seen who normally would not qualify for these services due to their age.

Esperanca
$15,000 - Learning with a Smile

Website: esperanca.org
Contact: DeeAnn Brewer, Grants Manager

Esperanca, an organization which provides community health and development projects for some of the world’s poorest citizens, is headquartered in Phoenix and will expand preventive oral health education to 2,500 children in the Learning with a Smile program. This program provides age- and culturally-appropriate oral health education, delivered in English and Spanish, in Head Start/Early Head Start centers, elementary schools, free/low-cost dental clinics, and community settings. In addition, Esperanca is looking to strengthen established relationships and forge new partnerships with school districts, Head Start programs, and community clinics in the I-17 corridor from Buckeye to Peoria to reach more families who face the greatest barriers to access oral health resources.

Flagstaff Medical Center
$10,000 - Dental Disease Prevention Among Children with Chronic and Disabling Health Conditions

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Sheila Schill, Director, Children’s Health Center

Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) will continue their electric toothbrush program for children who receive care through Children’s Rehabilitative Services, a program of FMC’s Children’s Health Center. These children suffer from chronic or disabling conditions inhibiting their ability to use a regular toothbrush. Many of these children come from low-income families and cannot afford to invest in an electric toothbrush. FMC case managers provide instruction to families on proper use of the brushes, and education on preventive oral health practices. This project will benefit nearly 500 patients served by the CRS program.

Golden Gate Community Center, A Program of the Wesley Community Center
$20,000 - Isaac Oral Health Initiative

Website: wesleycenterphx.org
Contact: Linda Luft, Community Health Program Director

Golden Gate Community Center, a program of the Wesley Community Center, will partner with Isaac School District to provide oral health education to K-8th grade students in the District. This initiative provides education and clinical care to the 7,449 students at 11 schools in the District. The Isaac Oral Health Initiative will provide clinical services through mobile units with AZ Tooth Dr. for Kids and portable units through the CASS Murphy Dental Clinic. Promotoras or bilingual health educators will work with students providing 30-40 minute interactive school presentations where children learn about a healthy tooth diet; proper teeth brushing and flossing, why they should go to the dentist and what to expect.

Homeless Outreach Programs, Inc.
$7,650 - Children’s Dental Health Awareness Program in Apache County

Contact: Sharon Ashby-Robinson, President, CEO

Homeless Outreach Programs, Inc. provides hygiene and other health services to homeless and financially disadvantaged adults and children throughout the state of Arizona. The Children’s Dental Health Awareness Program provide supplies and oral health education to 1300 students and preschoolers through sixth grade in five rural schools in Apache County: Alpine, Vernon, St. Johns, Concho and Round Valley. Children receive an oral health education presentation at school, along with a craft project to reinforce the importance of teeth brushing and visiting a dentist, plus dental supplies to take home.

Legacy Foundation Chris-Town YMCA
$15,000 - YMCA Dental Clinic

Website: vosymca.org 
Contact: April Lewallen, Executive Director

This grant enables the Legacy Foundation Chris-Town WMCA Dental Clinic to expand its capacity to serve youth while communicating effectively with schools, local agencies and parents seeking preventive dental care. The momentum created by Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation support helps the Y continue serving children and youth, and provides additional oral health education materials and learning opportunities. All of this increases the program’s community impact. Located in a high-need area of the city, this clinic free dental clinic, in many cases, is the only dental facility available to these children and becomes their dental home. The clinic’s increased capacity directly serves uninsured and underserved children. Funding will be utilized to support clinic operations specifically replacement and repair of equipment. It will also be used to increase outreach to local schools and agencies unaware of these existing preventive services in the neighborhood.

Maggie's Place, Inc.
$10,000 - Dental Program at Maggie’s Place

Website: maggiesplace.org
Contact: Laura Magruder, Executive Director

Maggie’s Place has a partnership with Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) Dental Clinic for the homeless. Through this partnership, Maggie’s Place guests (pregnant and parenting women in need) receive preventive dental care in a facility specializing in the needs of homeless people. This grant supports more services to alumni mothers, that is, mothers who have lived in one of the homes and receive ongoing support in the form of trainings, scholarships, bus passes, emergency expenses, and emotional support. Dental care increases a mother’s health, self-confidence, and quality of life. The goal is also for the mothers to model and pass along healthy oral health habits to their children. This investment in a mother’s health impacts not only herself and her children, but future children and often other relatives and partners.

Marana Health Center
$15,000 - Preventive Dental Care for Pregnant Women

Website: maranahealthcenter.org
Contact: Becky Holton, Director of Development

This brand new program integrates dental services into medical care in the obstetrics and gynecology unit at the community health center. Serving pregnant mothers in their third trimester the mothers are uninsured and may not have a medical or dental home prior to their pregnancy. This is a wonderful window of opportunity when moms are most open, interested and receptive to information regarding their soon-to-be born child and want to be their healthiest and most prepared. To assist with long term dental health for themselves and their babies, the physicians will provide in office education for all mothers and case coordinators will follow-up with education, dental supplies and scheduling assistance for baby’s first dental appointment post-partum.

Mountain Park Health Center
$20,000 - Screenings and Cleanings for Moms to Be

Website: mphc-az.org
Contact: Matt Jewett, Grants Manager

Mountain Park Health Center (MPHC) is serving 166 low-income pregnant women (under 200% of the federal poverty level) receiving prenatal care from a Women’s Health Care provider. While MPHC recognizes the importance of oral screenings and cleanings for all 4,400 prenatal patients seen each year, the dental department has not been able to meet the demand for services, especially services for adults, who receive only emergency dental benefits coverage through AHCCCS. This grant focuses on combating the moderate to severe periodontal disease seen in 70% of the prenatal patients. Because of periodontal disease, this group is at higher risk for preterm and low weight births. An oral examination and assessment, an oral cancer screening, cleanings, scaling (if needed) radiographs, guidance on at home dental care, education on infant oral care will round out the dental services package each mother-to-be will be offered.

Native American Community Health Center, Inc. (DBA Native Health)
$20,000 - Native Kids Dental Health Improvement Program

Website: nachci.com
Contact: Susan Levy, Communications Coordinator

NATIVE HEALTH (NH) received a second year of funding for the Native Kids Dental Health Improvement Project reaching an estimated 2,500 American Indian and other underserved children and caregivers in community settings. The project provides screenings and fluoride treatments to 2,000 American Indian/underserved children each year. Grant funds employ a part-time Child Dental Health Educator for the 43 events scheduled in 2015. The children and their families are currently enrolled in a variety of existing programs including a home visiting program, a parenting skills program, Health Start and the Women Infant Children (WIC) Nutrition program. The Child Dental Health Educator coordinates and participates in several outreach events monthly; providing education and fluoride treatments at health fairs, pow-wows and other community events.

Navajo County Public Health Services District
$43,560 over two years - Navajo-Apache-Gila Oral Health Coalition

Website: navajocountyaz.gov
Contact: Marty Herring, Health Director

There is power in numbers and a greater voice. This grant continues funding the Navajo-Apache-Gila (NAG) Oral Health Coalition. Communications, coordination and engagement of members dedicated to improving oral health are at the heart of a successful coalition. A coordinator responsible for these activities is critical and funded by this grant at a part-time level. This coalition has been active, involved, and growing. Just a few of their results include cross agency collaborations along the Mogollon Rim, expansion of services and programs, continuing education featuring experts and discussion on recent research in oral health about the local communities. Leadership by the Navajo County Department of Public Health has been instrumental to the spirit of cooperation, partnership and expansion of this effort.

Overgaard Ponderosa Lions Foundation
$11,000 - Children’s Dental Health Awareness Program

Website: ponderosalionsclub.com
Contact: Donna Harris, Co-Coordinator

Not only will the Ponderosa Lions Foundation expenses be covered by this grant, but the Club will assist other Lions Clubs in establishing their own oral health programs. Presentations are created and tailored for various age groups. For example, the Head Start play group parents are taught the importance of good oral health and eating practices. A tooth timer is presented to each child enrolled in kindergarten or higher grades. An oral health-related book is given to each child through third grade. Display boards with a message to “Rethink Your Drink” for presentations are used for older children and adults. Children are shown how to read sugar content on the drink labels and convert grams into teaspoons.

Poore Free Medical Clinic
$25,000 - Sid Davis Memorial Dental Clinic

Contact: Dr. Dale Hallberg, Dental Director

The new Poore Medical Clinic/Sid Davis Memorial Dental Clinic provides preventive services such as dental examination, radiographs, cleanings, sealants, scaling and root planing, fluoride application where indicated and oral health instruction. Licensed dentists, hygienists and dental assistants, as well NAU dental hygiene students, are all donating their time. The equipment purchased with this funding allows the Clinic to more effectively link the needs of the people served. Digital sensors will be used to take radiographs images on children while reducing radiation exposure, hand instruments clean teeth, slow speed angle hand pieces and brushes clean teeth prior to sealant application. The clinic is developing an "Adopt A Supply" program where private dental offices can help by signing up to regularly donate one or several dental supply items.

River Cities United Way
$6,000 over three years - Kids Bright and Healthy

Website: rivercitiesunitedway.org
Contact: Ashley Wood, Community Impact Director

The Kids Bright and Healthy program, which has been in existence for eight years, is a program established by River Cities United Way (RCUW) to serve children enrolled in grades K-12 with assistance accessing basic medical, dental and vision needs. We found that with over 43 local partner programs that dental service was a need that wasn’t being covered or met by any other local agency. The Kids Bright and Healthy Program gives low income children an opportunity to have an exam, cleaning, dental sealants and fluoride treatment. Grant funds cover discounted rates charged by dental professionals for these services. The children all reside in La Paz or Mohave Counties.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul
$15,000 - Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: stvincentdepaul.net
Contact: Janice Ertl, Clinic Director

The Virginia G. Piper Medical and Dental Clinic at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers comprehensive services for low-income families. This long-standing, integrated facility needs to replace some aging dental equipment in order to better serve their clients. A new curing light and Cavitron will be purchased. Once the equipment is purchased, remaining funds will be used for preventive procedures, including sealants and fluoride, for uninsured, low-income children seen in the dental clinic. This prevention treatment serves as the gateway for the children to later receive comprehensive restorative treatment. The Dental Director also supports a volunteer-based program at the Legacy YMCA Dental Clinic, where many area dental professionals donate their time to care for area students.

Southwest Behavioral Health Services
$4,250 - Summer of Smiles

Website: sbhservices.org
Contact: Chaz Martinez, Communications and Events Liaison

“Summer of Smiles” is a collaboration of Southwest Behavioral Health Services (SBHS) and the Boys & Girls Club of the Colorado River with “Just 4 Kids” Dentistry of Bullhead City as the provider. The program serves 48 children from SBHS along with 48 children from the Boys & Girls Club. All children will receive exams, x-rays, cleanings and dental sealants over a two-day period in June of 2015. Included in the “Summer of Smiles” program Southwest Behavioral Health Services’ clients will attend the Boys & Girls Club’s “Crest Cavity-Free Zone” program. This “Summer of Smiles” program is a start to reverse the cycle of poor oral health and result in a new attitude for prevention, treatment and initiate the self-esteem associated with good dental hygiene and a great smile.

Southwest Human Development
$15,000 - Oral Health Program for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org
Contact: Lisa Olivas-Cook, Grants Manager

Southwest Human Development is using the grant to further integrate oral health programs for low-income children and families participating into the Healthy Families and Head Start/Early Head Start programs. Targeting children ages birth to five-years old, these programs have a long-term relationship with high-risk families and families with lower incomes, and work closely with them over time to establish good health and dental practices. The barriers of accessing dental care and services can be reduced through the home visitor program. Participants receive dental hygiene instruction, education and ongoing dental supplies for their entire family. The funds are divided between the two programs. Additionally, an unanticipated positive outcome has been the benefit of training the home visitors on the importance of oral health.

St. Elizabeth's Health Center
$20,000 - Dental Prevention Clinics

Website: saintehc.org
Contact: Jane Bakos, CEO

St. Elizabeth’s Health Center (SEHC) is using the grant funds to enhance three groups. The first goal is to hold twice monthly “prevention clinics”, one at the main facility and one at Pio Decimo Center. Children and youth up to 18-years old receive a dental screening, fluoride varnish application, education on the importance of preventive oral care, and referral to the Dental Clinic for follow-up care. During the “prevention clinic”, both parents and youth receive education on the importance of oral health. Secondly, uninsured, low-income pregnant mothers receiving obstetrics services at St. Elizabeth’s receive an oral evaluation, x-rays, and dental cleaning during their pregnancy. Finally, trainings will be held with Primary Care providers and support staff to educate them on this program and on how they can educate their young patients on the importance of preventive dental care.

Sun Life Family Health Center
$15,000 - Smile Mobile Oral Health Screening Program

Website: slfhc.org
Contact: Michelov Rau, Grants Writer

Sun Life’s Smile Mobile Clinic serves uninsured, low-income children throughout Pinal County, including communities where Sun Life operates a health center, with a special focus on youth living in mostly rural, remote areas, federally designated as having a dental professional shortage, such as San Manuel, Superior, Florence, San Manuel, Kearny and Stanfield. Sun Life has established agreements with the Casa Grande school district, the Maricopa Unified school district and the School for Children of Migrant Farm workers in Stanfield to provide oral health screening and fluoride varnish application services for children ages six and older. Funding pays a per-diem dental hygienist, supplies/materials and mileage. Sun Life anticipates serving an estimated 600 children in Pinal County.

University of Arizona Foundation
$50,000 - Mobile Health Program

Website: uahealth.com
Contact: Susan Hadley, Medical Director

The Mobile Health Program at the University of Arizona reaches an underserved group of schools without access to dental care. By going directly to the schools, the mobile program removes the barriers of transportation, parents with multiple jobs, the difficulties of finding low-cost services and setting appointments. Schools located in six zip codes within Pima County are the focus, but pregnant mothers and their families enrolled in the Mobile Health OB Program and the clients at Teen Pregnancy Services will also be included. Exams, cleanings, topical fluoride, and referrals to local dental centers are essential services for these Head Start programs, pregnant women and teens.

Verde Valley Medical Center
$13,407 - Healthy Families Program

Website: nahealth.com
Contact: Susan Lacher, Program Manager

Verde Valley Medical Center located in Yavapai County has a Healthy Families home visiting program for families with a newborn child. This grant enhances the program by funding dental education and training for the home visitors who touch the lives of 40- 46 high-risk families during the first year of their baby’s life. This program teaches new parents about a wide range of child-specific topics like sleeping, parenting, nutrition, child safety and now oral health. The project aims to improve the oral health of the parents, baby and their siblings through one-to-one education and repeat instruction to give these infants a healthy start by the time their first tooth comes in.

Coconino County Public Health Services District, Tobacco and Chronic Disease Prevention Program
$12,154 over three years - Told First Hand

Website: coconino.az.gov
Contact: Candice Koenker, Interim Program Manager

Told First Hand provides tobacco education to youth in Coconino County using speaker; Jason Marsee, who makes presentations to school children about his experience of watching his older teenage brother die from oral cancer, related to his use of chew tobacco. The program projected to conduct 31 presentations, reaching approximately 1,000 youth in Northern Arizona each year. As of January, 19 presentations have taken place, reaching 781 youth. With 10 more presentations scheduled through February, the program expects to reach the intended goals for the year.

El Rio Health Center Foundation
$15,000 over three years - El Rio Early Childhood Caries Prevention Program

Website: elrio.org
Contact: Candace Clausen, Dental Clinic Manager

The second year of this three year grant is about educating thousands of families about oral healthcare and how Early Childhood Caries can be reduced. At-risk children receive an oral examination, fee fluoride varnish treatment and access to follow-up dental care. In the first year, El Rio exceeded their goal of serving 2300 and served 2386 children with fluoride varnish treatments and bilingual education. They doubled the number of pregnant mothers served to 54 pregnant mothers, not 25. In addition, 325 families were reached through seven community events in Pima County.

A.T. Still University (ATSU); Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH), Pinal
$25,000 - Smiles Across Pinal County

Website: atsudental.com

Using an affiliated practice dental hygiene model that includes dental students, funding will help to provide dental screening and sealants, oral health education, and fluoride varnish applications in the school-based dental sealant program. In 2014, the program will also pilot an interactive oral health education program for teens.

Bagdad Unified School District, Yavapai
$9,975 - Miles of Smiles

Website: bagdadschools.org

Grant funds will be used to provide on-site dental exams, radiographs, oral hygiene instruction, dental cleanings, sealants, and fluoride varnish applications for preschool through 12th grade students. Supplies and educational materials will be purchased and funds will also be used to provide training for two employees.

Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix, Maricopa
$25,000 - Prevention Services for Children

Website: bgcmp.org

Grant funds will be used to provide exams, dental cleanings, sealants, and fluoride treatments as needed, and oral hygiene, nutrition and tobacco avoidance education to 800 children ages 5-18.

Central Arizona Dental Society Foundation, All
$12,500 - 2014 Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy

Website: azmom.org

Foundation funding will be used for dental and computer equipment rental, tables, AV equipment, signage, and dental supplies for the event.

Chicanos Por La Causa, All
$15,000 - CPLC Early Childhood Development Preventative Oral Health Initiative

Website: cplc.org

Funding will be used to provide oral health screenings and fluoride varnish applications for 846 children from birth to age 5. The program will emphasize oral disease prevention information for children, parents, families, and all members living in the home. CPLC will also work with the perinatal population to provide an oral health screening, referrals and oral health education on the importance of oral health prior, during and after pregnancy. It is anticipated that 2,500 children, parents and Head Start staff will benefit from this program.

Coconino County Public Health District, Coconino
$12,154 - Grand Smiles in the Grand Canyon State

Website: coconino.az.gov/health

Foundation funds will be used for preventive dental services for grades 2-6 in Parks, Arizona. Using an affiliated practice model, a dental hygienist will provide dental cleanings and sealants, fluoride varnish, education and referral. Funds will also cover presentations by Jason Marsee on tobacco avoidance in the communities of Flagstaff, Page, Williams, Parks, Kaibeto and Tuba City. It is anticipated that these presentations will reach over 3,000 youth.

Desert Mission, Inc., Maricopa 
$25,000 - Preventive Dental Care for Low-Income Children in North Phoenix

Website: desertmission.com

Funding will be used for school-based oral health screenings for 8,000 children in North Phoenix. Reduced-cost food baskets will be offered as an incentive for parents to bring their children back for follow-up preventive care.

Dignity Health Foundation, Maricopa
$21,688 - Dignity Health Children’s Dental Clinic

Website: supportdignityhealtheastvalley.org/news/dental-clinic

Funds will be used to provide community-based oral health education to 400 children and parents and preventive services to 250 children at the Chandler CARE Center. Through an affiliated practice model, a dental hygienist will provide dental sealants and cleanings, fluoride varnish applications, oral health and nutrition education, and referrals. An oral health liaison/educator will provide classes in early childhood and adult oral care, tooth brushing programs for day care providers, oral health for pregnant and parenting teens, and Take Charge, a train-the trainer program that emphasizes parental oral health responsibility, high self-standards of care, and developing routines in encouraging healthy behaviors.

El Rio Health Foundation, Pima
$15,000 - Early Childhood Caries Prevention Program

Website: elrio.org

Funds will help support dental screenings, weekly fluoride varnish sessions, oral health education to families, and access to follow-up dental care. Services are offered in the waiting rooms of pediatric medical sites. Funds will also support expansion of services to pregnant women and to a new medical site with no dental services.

Feeding Matters, All
$6,500 - Oral Health Provider Directory

Website: feedingmatters.org

Funds will support the Oral Health Provider Directory, a collection of pediatric medical and dental providers who work with children with feeding struggles. Directory users can create a customized list of disciplines, geographic locations, and treatment approaches.

Flagstaff Medical Center, Apache, Coconino, Mohave, Navajo and Yavapai
$10,000 - Preventing Dental Disease among Children with Chronic and Disabling Health Conditions

Website: flagstaffmedicalcenter.com

Foundation funds will support the purchase of electric toothbrushes for patients who receive care through Children’s Rehabilitative Services (CRS), a program of FMC’s Children’s Health Center. FMC case managers will provide instruction to families on proper use of the brushes and education on preventive oral health practices.

Homeward Bound, Maricopa
$25,000 - Children’s Dental Program

Website: homewardboundaz.org

Funds will provide additional fluoride varnish applications and oral health education to uninsured and underinsured children participating in Homeward Bound.

La Paz/Mohave First Things First, La Paz, Mohave
$25,000 - Oral Health Coalition

Website: firstthingsfirst.org

Funds will allow the expansion of oral health promotion to include establishment of an oral health coalition in the region. Relationships will be developed with health and early learning providers to promote early childhood oral health and integrate oral health activities into existing programs.

Legacy Foundation Christown YMCA, Maricopa
$8,000 - YMCA Dental Clinic

Website: valleyymca.org/christown

Support will fund operations, supplies and replacement of small equipment as needed to support the clinic’s increased capacity.

Maggie's Place, Maricopa
$7,500 - Dental Program for Maggie's Place

Website: maggiesplace.org

Funds will be used for a collaborative partnership between Maggie’s Place and Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) Dental Clinic for the homeless. Through this partnership, CASS will provide dental care to Maggie’s Place guests (women who are pregnant and in need). Services will also be offered to 12 alumnae mothers who continue to receive Maggie’s Place support.

Maricopa County Oral Health Leaders, Advocates and Resources (MOLAR), Maricopa
$25,000 - MOLAR Coalition

Website: molarcoalition.org

Foundation funds will help to cover organizational and administrative costs for the coalition, venue and speaker costs for a symposium planned for 2014, and support for work group initiatives. Funds will also be used to host tables at three events to recruit new members, form new partnerships, and educate the community.

Native Health, Maricopa
$25,000 - Native Kids Dental Health Improvement Project

Website: nativehealthphoenix.org

Funds will be used for an educator who will coordinate and provide fluoride applications at 40 outreach events in 2014. The project will also provide oral health education and fluoride treatments to children currently served in a variety of Native Health programs.

Navajo County Public Health Services District, Navajo, Apache, Gila
$14,985 - Navajo/Apache/Gila County Oral Health Coalition

Website: navajocountyaz.gov

Foundation funds will be used to support the Navajo, Apache and Gila County (NAG) Oral Health Coalition. A coalition coordinator will lead in coalition development, recruitment, communication, and activities.

Overgaard Ponderosa Lions Foundation, Navajo, Apache, Gila, Yavapai and Coconino
$13,000 - Children's Dental Health Awareness Program

Website: ponderosalionsclub.com

Funds will be used for educational materials and program costs. Each child attending a presentation receives a 5-week brushing diary with a small prize given at the end of each week for successful tooth brushing. A Facebook page allows a child/parent to converse with the Tooth Fairy on lost teeth, dental visits, etc., with the Tooth Fairy responding to each child. Funding also supports the Overgaard Ponderosa Lions in assisting other Lions Clubs with their own oral health awareness programs.

Phoenix Rescue Mission, Maricopa
$14,000 - Changing Living Center’s Dental Health Project for Homeless Children and Pregnant Moms

Website: phoenixrescuemission.org

Foundation funds will support preventive dental services for up to 91 uninsured children and pregnant moms enrolled in the Changing Lives Center long-term residential program for homeless women and children. Funds will also be used to purchase dental equipment and dental supplies.

Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center, All
$15,000 - Education and Training for Dental Professionals

Website: autismcenter.org

Funds will provide continuation of the current education and training program to include dissemination of information guides. Outreach and training opportunities will also be increased.

Southwest Human Development, Maricopa
$15,000 - SWHD Oral Health Program for Children and Families

Website: swhd.org

Funds will be used to offer oral health programs to more than 3,000 children and families who are part of Southwest Human Development programs.

St. Vincent de Paul, Maricopa
$17,400 - Children’s Dental Program

Website: stvincentdepaul.net

Foundation funds will be used to provide oral hygiene education, dental cleanings and sealants, and fluoride applications for children in St. Vincent de Paul dental clinics.

Sun Life Family Health Center, Pinal
$15,000 - Smile Mobile Oral Health Screening Project

Website: slfhc.org

Foundation funds will cover costs of a dental hygienist and materials to provide oral health screening and fluoride application services to children 6 and older in Pinal County. Sun Life will deliver these services through the organization’s Smile Mobile Clinic with special focus on youth in remote rural areas federally designated as having a dental professional shortage (San Manuel, Superior, Florence, San Manuel, Kearny and Stanfield).

The University of Arizona Foundation, Pima
$15,000 - Integrating Primary Care, Health Education, and Oral Health Preventive Services

Website: fcm.arizona.edu

Foundation funds will help the Mobile Health Program to provide oral health education, screening/referral services, and dental supplies for children in Southern Arizona. Oral health education will also be incorporated into group prenatal education classes, with a goal of making oral health relevant in every encounter.

Verde Valley Medical Center, Yavapai
$12,472 - Healthy Families

Website: verdevalleymedicalcenter.com

Funding will help this project to provide dental education, training, and supplies to 40 families with a newborn through a home-visiting program designed to assist new parents on a wide range of child-focused topics.