DELTA DENTAL OF WASHINGTON

See schedule odental disease is the single most common chronic disease of early childhood - five times more common than asthma. Nearly one in five adults, nationally, has untreated dental cavities. The arcora foundation (the foundation), a wholly owned subsidiary of ddwa, supported almost exclusively by ddwa, focuses much of their work on communities experiencing oral health disparities, and works closely with partner organizations to develop and implement innovative programs that improve oral health. The access to baby and child dentistry (abcd) system of care expands access to dental care for young medicaid insured children under six and children with a developmental disabilities administration (dda) indicator under 13 in washington state by providing dental services, both preventative and restorative. In counties with abcd, the utilization of dental services increased from 21% to 51% from 1997 to 2024. The early intervention in medical settings programs, mouthmatters, trains pediatric medical providers in the advantages and techniques of early intervention and prevention through oral screening and education, applying fluoridation and referring high risk patients for dental care.

1. Water fluoridation is the most important step a community can take to improve the oral health of all residents. The foundation promotes legislation to encourage fluoridation, provides assistance to groups who are committed to bringing the benefits of fluoride to their communities and helps prevent rollbacks in existing fluoridated communities. Since 2001, over 646,000 washingtonians receive the health benefits associated with fluoridated water as a result of the foundation's work.2. Assisting the work of the foundation are ddwa employees volunteering their time. Ddwa enables all employees to engage with the public regarding oral health through the use of two volunteer days per year. The smilemobile program offers volunteer opportunities in assisting with patient recruitment and registration while in a community. The mobile dental van staffed with dental professionals, travels the state of wa providing preventive, restorative and emergent dental care to children, youth and pregnant/postpartum people with a focus on black, indigenous, people of color in underserved areas of the state. Since 1995, the program has examined over 53,000 patients.3. Ddwa matches donations made by employees to non-profit organizations with official irs 501(c)(3) status, although the following organizations/events are not eligible for matching: churches, political campaigns/organizations, capital funding, fraternal/labor organizations, trips/tours, mass mailings, organizations/groups that discriminate for any reason including, but not limited to, race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.4. Ddwa provided $287,775 to uw school of dentistry to cover the washington state department of oral health dental exams for its graduating class.