Two dental programs operating in Montezuma and Dolores counties were awarded funding from Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, which this month announced $3.5 million in grants to an array of oral health programs across the state.
Frontier Community Health Clinic, operating clinics in Dove Creek and Cortez, was awarded $200,000 to expand access to reach 1,250 additional patients and to connect them to medical and behavioral health services.
Also, Montezuma County Public Health Department received $76,000 to purchase equipment to outfit a second dental operatory to double the size and reach of its current practice.
Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation has provided a total of $3.5 million in funding over three years to 31 Colorado nonprofits to support projects that create accessible oral health care and advance oral health equity.
According to the Colorado Health Institute, less than 60% of Montezuma County residents have dental insurance and 20% reported cost as a barrier to receiving oral health care in 2017. The 2019 CHI Health Access Survey also found 29% to 35% of county residents did not visit the dentist last year.
A variety of social factors – including race and ethnicity, income, geography, age, housing and food insecurity – impact oral health and their overall well-being.
Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation awarded grants to programs across the state that have identified solutions that address oral health disparities aligned with the foundation’s focus areas: access to oral health care, prevention of tooth decay and strengthening the connection between oral health and overall health.