Delta Dental of Washington

We want our state to be 100% cavity-free!  That’s why we offer dental benefit plans, support community programs, and give back to neighborhoods across Washington. Learn more: Cavityfreewa.com #community #health #wellness #washington #oralhealthcare

Now that observances of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr have ended, it is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on our partnership with Muslim Housing Services (MHS) in Seattle. This month they set out to raise $50,000 to deliver food, in keeping with the spirit of Zakat al-Fitr, a tradition which asks celebrants to give what they can to help people experiencing food insecurity in the days after Ramadan and beyond. Since 1999, MHS has been a beacon of hope for low-income families, particularly refugees and immigrants, providing stable housing and empowering them towards self-sufficiency. We’re particularly inspired by MHS's housing-first approach, understanding that stable housing is crucial for fostering education, employment, and overall health. Health and housing are deeply interconnected, and @Delta Dental of Washington was honored to support MHS's mission for a more equitable society. Though Ramadan is over, we can continue to honor our neighbors and keep the thoughtful and generous spirit of Ramadan alive into the future by supporting organizations like MHS that make a difference. Learn more about their impactful work and how you can participate here: https://bit.ly/445XM7T #PostRamadanReflection #CommunityImpact #HousingFirst #DeltaDental #Seattle #SupportLocal #GiveBack

It’s here! We’ve officially published our annual Mission Impact Reflection. It’s where you can find out how we are working toward our mission of increasing access to oral healthcare, with no one left behind. As the nation’s largest not-for-profit oral healthcare benefits provider, we are deeply committed to partnerships and programs that enhance the oral and overall health of all Washingtonians. For us at @Delta Dental of Washington, being an oral healthcare leader means being a responsive community partner. We're thankful for the opportunity to support, reinforce, and invest in a holistic network of local organizations dedicated to a healthier Washington. Organizations like the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Muslim Housing Services, the Salvation Army of Spokane, Boys & Girls Clubs of King County (just to name a few) have proven to be indispensable and critical partners to our mission. Meanwhile, we owe a debt of gratitude to @Arcora Foundation of Delta Dental of Washington which has provided guidance and expertise in our ongoing effort to make the most positive impact possible. For the whole story of our year’s worth of community work, you can read more in our online Mission Reflection here! https://lnkd.in/gMfWWZJm

Washington dental professionals! Volunteer and mentorship opportunities are now open with the Delta Dental of Washington youth awareness program!  This is your chance to inspire the next generation of dental professionals through mentorship and hands-on workshops. Find more information and sign up here! Our Youth Awareness Program partners with local schools and community programs to inspire young people across the state to explore careers in dental health. The program focuses on reaching young people of color and other communities that have been historically underrepresented in the dental profession. It’s all part of our mission to disrupt, transform, and revolutionize the dental industry by increasing access to care for all Washingtonians.  If you’re passionate about sharing your love for dentistry and serving your community, sign up to be part of our pool of volunteers and mentors today! #volunteer #dentalcareers #communityimpact #washingtondentists 

Did you know that April is #OralCancerAwarenessMonth? It’s an often-overlooked oral health concern but prevention and early detection is key to better outcomes. That’s why we’ve partnered with Dr. Lina Kim, founder of the Floss Boss Mobile dentistry unit which bridges the gap between oral healthcare and access, to provide free oral cancer screenings at the University of Washington Seattle campus. Dr. Lina Kim and her staff will be conducting free screenings out of her mobile dentistry unit on Red Square from 9 am to 3 pm. An oral cancer screening is a quick, visual scan that can provide you with important oral health information in under five minutes. The event is free and open to the public to mark the beginning of Oral Cancer Awareness Month, so don’t miss it! It’s all part of our mission to increase oral health access to all Washingtonians with no one left behind. Thank you to Dr. Kim and the Floss Boss team for their commitment to healthy mouths and oral health access and to the University of Washington School of Dentistry for their support.  

Today is #WorldOralHealthDay, an opportunity to recognize the power of good oral health to improve overall health outcomes in communities across the globe where access to quality oral healthcare remains a struggle. As much as World Oral Health Day is a global effort, Delta Dental of Washington recognizes that positive change begins right at home, in local communities across Washington State.  That’s why we support and engage in critical work with community partners and @Arcora Foundation to find innovative solutions to oral health barriers.  The #ToothFairyExperience supports K-2 students in primarily low-income schools by introducing good oral health habits for better overall health outcomes. We are also addressing the shortage of available dental professionals by introducing youth to the dental field through hands-on learning opportunities. And we are honored to support Pacific NW University to launch a new dental school focusing on rural and underserved communities.   Our mission is to build a healthier Washington through oral healthcare access with no one left behind. Read more about how we are achieving this here.  https://lnkd.in/gK5pugXs

Thank you to Santiago Valdez, RDH and Nicolette Slaughter, MBA, for partnering together to launch, expand, and deliver on our Youth Awareness Program, introducing dental careers to the next generation of diverse young people in Washington! As part of our mission to increase access to oral healthcare in Washington State, with no one left behind, this program is leading the charge. The future of the dental industry is more representative and sustainable when we include our young people. We are lucky to have such amazing partners in our community and across the state, and team members so committed to this mission.

We are so proud of this partnership and cannot thank Fotinos Panagakos and the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences School of Dental Medicine enough for their leadership and vision. Here's to training even more cutting-edge oral health providers who will continue the work of increasing access to oral healthcare in Washington! #community #healthcare #healthcarecareers

In November, we celebrated #RuralHealthDay. As part of our mission to remove more barriers to equitable oral health access, Delta Dental of Washington is inspired by programs like the RIDE Program at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. We invited Dr. Frank A. Roberts, Director of the Rural Initiatives in Dental Education Program, to discuss the challenges that rural communities face in accessing oral healthcare and to introduce us to the innovative solutions he and his team are pioneering to navigate those barriers.

Happy #GivingTuesday to the charitable partners, programs, and organizations we worked with this year! Our mission is to remove barriers to oral healthcare so that, one day, we can build a #CavityFreeWashington and, this year, we've come one step closer. You can find more information about our mission at https://bit.ly/3fu2MuT