Delta Dental Oral Health Diversity Fund

Geographic Scope: National (multi-state)

Focus Areas:

• Inspiring school-aged children from historically underrepresented groups to explore careers in oral health
• Comprehensive solutions and innovative pilots addressing oral health workforce diversity
• Scalable models that increase diversity in the dental profession
• Programs serving:
  • Racial and ethnic minorities
  • American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities
  • Historically marginalized populations

Problem Addressed:

• Fewer than 10% of dentists are Black or Hispanic, while these groups comprise more than 30% of the U.S. population
• Less than 10 oral health programs in the U.S. provide specialized patient care and clinical training
• Lack of diversity among health professionals linked to decreased patient satisfaction and worse health outcomes

Inaugural Awardees (2023):

1. Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships - Diversify Dentistry Youth Summit™ (high school students, hands-on experiences, mentorship)
2. Hispanic Dental Association - BOLD: Building Our Leaders in Dentistry (pre-dental mentorship, outreach to K-12 and undergraduate students)
3. NAF - Promoting Oral Pathways (academy curriculum, project-based learning, work-based learning)
4. Society of American Indian Dentists - Telling the Story of a Path to Dentistry (AI/AN dentist role models, community presentations)

Related Website: www.deltadentalinstitute.com

Application Process

Timeline:

• Inaugural round (2023): Applications closed
• Next round: Spring 2024 (applications opened)
• Frequency: Annual

Application Details:
Specific application requirements not provided in source material.

Application Portal: www.deltadentalinstitute.com/fund