Funding Amount

$6,500 - $1,000,000

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

SMILE Workforce Grants

Funder: Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation

Award Amount: $6,500 - $1,000,000 per grant

Total Available (2026): $2.27 million awarded; $3.5+ million planned over next three years

Geographic Scope: New Jersey and Connecticut

Program Focus:

  • Support pipeline of dental assistants and hygienists

  • Fund dental education programs

  • Modernize educational infrastructure

  • Early exposure to dental careers (middle/high school through collegiate and on-the-job training)

  • Address dental workforce shortages in both states
  • Background:
    The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation has been committed to expanding access to oral health care for 40 years (as of 2026). The Foundation began awarding SMILE Workforce grants in 2024, with total investment in workforce grants exceeding $5 million across both states.

    Eligible Organizations (Examples from 2026 awards):

  • Community colleges and technical schools

  • Health careers academies

  • Vocational schools

  • Universities with dental programs

  • Health nonprofits and community health centers

  • Educational foundations
  • Context:
    According to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, there will be a national shortage of 33,220 dental hygienists and 19,860 general dentists by 2038.

    Contact:

  • Jackie Zygadlo, MikeWorldWide: (201) 231-6035, jzygadlo@mww.com

  • Kim Elmore, Delta Dental of New Jersey: (973) 534-9682, kelmore@deltadentalnj.com
  • Website: https://www.deltadentalnj.com/our-foundation

    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    workforce-developmentdental-healtheducation

    Categories

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