DELTA DENTAL OF SOUTH CAROLINA COMMITS $125,000 TO EXPAND DENTAL WORKFORCE AND ACCESS TO VITAL CARE
Achievements from its 2023 Workforce Development Grants Inspire Continued Investment
COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 12, 2025) … Delta Dental of South Carolina – a non-profit organization, leading dental benefits provider and oral health philanthropist – is committing an additional $125,000 in grant funds through its 2025 Workforce Development Initiative, which helps prepare high schoolers, college students and working-age adults for career paths in dental health professions. The company launched its initial Workforce Development Initiative in 2023, which provided $121,000 to two organizations. It continues to address the dental workforce shortage in 2025, with grants to expand this workforce and access to vital dental care through strategic partnerships across South Carolina.
Delta Dental of South Carolina will collaborate with South Carolina Oral Health Action Network to award 2025 funding and identify organizations in the state, which are working to address the dental workforce shortage. The funds will play a critical role in continued development of innovative programs to support students pursuing dental health professions, such as dentists, hygienists and dental assistants, and will expand access to care for underrepresented children and adults, including those who live in rural communities.
“We’re thrilled by the accomplishments of organizations and students who benefited from our Workforce Development grants in 2023,” said Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of South Carolina. “Their work is crucial in growing the dental workforce and advancing access to critical care, especially for those in need. In 2025, we’re continuing our investment and partnering with fellow oral health leaders to inspire students to pursue a dental care profession. Investing in this workforce helps change the lives of the students and the thousands of patients they can treat throughout their careers.”
The two organizations that received funding from Delta Dental of South Carolina in 2023 are making a positive impact on the dental workforce:
• Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Foundation in Charleston received $99,633 to launch a Community Dental Health Coordinator (CDHC) Certificate Program to strengthen the dental assistant and hygienist workforce and help address oral health inequities for individuals in rural S.C. communities. A new consortium of dental educators has been established, along with a dental hygiene degree program and a customized CDHC program with seven students participating in the first cohort.
• Deeper Than Dentistry in Columbia received $21,500 to support programming to empower individuals to explore careers in dentistry and other areas of healthcare with a focus on rural dental shortage areas and individuals in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. More than 750 students and young adults have been reached through a mentorship program, shadowing opportunities, a healthcare career summit and an array of presentations, panel discussions and healthcare activities.
About Delta Dental of South Carolina
Delta Dental of South Carolina is a trade name of Delta Dental of Missouri, a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, leading dental benefits provider and oral health philanthropist, which operates in South Carolina under that name. It provides more than 411,000 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. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. 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 www.DeltaDentalSC.com/ResourceGuide. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalSC.com.