DELTA DENTAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA CONTINUES OFFERING
VIRTUAL LAND OF SMILES® PROGRAM

Ongoing COVID-19 Impact, Coupled with Rave Reviews, Keeps Program on Virtual Path  

Columbia, S.C. (March 1, 2021) … Delta Dental of South Carolina’s Land of Smiles® program, known for visiting hundreds of elementary schools throughout South Carolina each year to teach grade-school children good dental health habits, will continue offering its virtual educational experience through the remainder of the current school year. The company is a leading dental benefits provider and a non-profit organization, which launched its virtual program in September 2020. Since then, more than 48,800 students from 177 schools in 40 South Carolina counties have participated in the engaging, age-appropriate online program either in the classroom or through partial or full-time virtual learning. Delta Dental of South Carolina is now taking scheduling requests for the Spring 2021 semester. 

“In response to the pandemic and its impact on South Carolina students and schools, we pivoted to develop our new virtual Land of Smiles program to meet evolving needs,” said Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of South Carolina. “We’re thrilled that our virtual experience is making a difference for kids and has received top-notch reviews. A survey of school nurses showed that 100% rated our program’s educational value as excellent or good. Pre- and post-test data is also showing an increase in children’s oral health knowledge after viewing our program, and that’s the positive outcome we’re striving for.”

The virtual Land of Smiles experience follows dynamic superhero Captain Super Grin℠, as he defeats his nemesis, Caz Cavity℠, with a little help from his sidekicks, Terri Tooth Fairy℠ and Toothpick℠. Throughout the adventure, students learn the importance of brushing teeth twice a day, flossing, eating healthy foods and visiting the dentist regularly. Delta Dental of South Carolina offers free “smile bags” to schools for students who participate in the program. Each bag includes a toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss to help students practice the good oral health habits that they learn. Each school is responsible for distributing the bags to participating students who attend school in person or virtually.

Delta Dental of South Carolina is monitoring federal, state and county guidelines to determine when it is safe to resume its in-person Land of Smiles performances at schools. In the meantime, interested teachers, school nurses and principals can visit www.LandofSmilesProgram.org to preview the free online program and request access to it on a date and time that works for their students through May of 2021.

Delta Dental of South Carolina is a trade name of Delta Dental of Missouri, a dental benefits provider and a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, which operates in South Carolina under that name. It provides more than 335,000 members in South Carolina with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need. It also created the South Carolina Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at https://www.DeltaDentalSC.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalSC.com.