HQP, a subsidiary of Health Center Partners of
Southern California, receives
$5M grant to improve access to
quality oral health care for vulnerable seniors
- Delta Dental Community Care Foundation commits to 5-year,
$5M grant to San Diego senior oral health partnership.
- The grant is designed to increase access to quality oral care
for vulnerable seniors, who often have no dental benefit
coverage.
- This partnership is led by Health Quality Partners of
Southern California, a nonprofit
advancing health equity and wellness in local communities.
- The Community Care Foundation will join HQP, dignitaries from
the County of San Diego, and seven
community health center organizations at a ceremony to commemorate
the partnership announcement on May 6,
2024, at 10 a.m. at Vista
Community Clinic.
SAN
FRANCISCO, May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Delta
Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta
Dental of California and
affiliates ("the Company"), today announced a significant expansion
of its Senior Oral Health Partnership Program. The Community Care
Foundation is committing an additional $5
million over the next five years to a consortium led
by Health Quality Partners of Southern California, a subsidiary of Health
Center Partners of Southern
California, a regional primary care association. This
monumental grant is part of a broader strategy that includes more
than $15 million dedicated to senior
oral health initiatives.
Since its launch in April 2022,
the Senior Oral Health Partnership Program has sought to transform
access to quality oral health care for vulnerable seniors. By
forming and funding localized collaborations, the program supports
developing innovative approaches and expanding oral health
services. Additionally, program partners collect data on community
needs and successes, which is used to inform the Delta Dental
Senior Oral Health Care Model.
Health Quality Partners is a nonprofit organization established
in 1997 to advance health equity and wellness in Southern California communities through
collaborative research, resource development and implementation of
a broad array of clinical and non-clinical programs. The
organizations participating in the Senior Oral Health Partnership
include Federally Qualified Health Centers: Community Health
Systems, Inc., Imperial Beach Community Clinic, Indian Health
Council, Neighborhood Healthcare, San Ysidro Health, Father Joe's
Villages and Vista Community Clinic, as well as the County of San
Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Medical Care Services.
Together in 2022, the seven participating health centers served
51,977 patients 60 years of age or older, of whom 10,757 (21%) had
at least one dental visit.
Oral health access for older adults is an urgent and growing
crisis. By 2030, one in five Americans will be age 65 or older,
according to U.S. Census data. A survey commissioned by the Company
found that 80% of older American adults do not go to the dentist as
often as recommended, and access is one of the main barriers. In
fact, one in three older adults surveyed by the Company later said
they cannot afford to see a dentist regularly. Not only that, but
more than half of older adults do not have dental benefit
coverage.
"Public private partnerships, like this one with the Delta
Dental Community Care Foundation, Health Quality Partners, and
seven of our region's Federally Qualified Health Centers, can
expand access to oral health for our aging population," said Dr.
Fadra Whyte, chief dental officer
for the County of San Diego.
"Leveraging oral health resources, expertise and infrastructure can
tailor services to better meet seniors' needs. This includes more
outreach, greater access and breaking down barriers to provide
equitable care for seniors."
"The members of Health Center Partners and Health Quality
Partners are most appreciative to the Delta Dental Community Care
Foundation for their support of and investment in our senior oral
health collaborative to benefit the thousands of elderly patients
entrusted to our care," said Henry
Tuttle, president and chief executive officer for Health
Center Partners. "The Community Care Foundation's vision and
long-term commitment to this initiative reflects its accurate and
timely understanding of the oral health access and services
challenges faced by this patient population, and we are grateful
for their partnership and shared mission to diminish the effects of
social determinants upon this particularly vulnerable
population."
As members of the Senior Oral Health Partnership Program, Health
Quality Partners of Southern
California will collaborate with the Delta Dental Community
Care Foundation to engage with those most vulnerable in the senior
population who experience significant challenges to receiving oral
health care.
"With the aging population, it's more difficult to have access
to dental care because caregivers can't bring them in, or they
can't always consent to care. There are so many barriers for
seniors, but as a group, we can identify and overcome these
challenges through innovation and collaboration," said Dr.
Sergio Cuevas, chief dental officer
for San Ysidro Health.
"We love being part of innovative programs. This is a unique
opportunity to innovate and collaborate for seniors in our area.
With the senior population continuing to grow, there are a lot of
disconnects between current systems in place to take care of those
patients," said Dr. Rebecca
Cornille, chief dental officer for Vista Community
Clinic.
"We are thrilled to welcome our Southern California partners, our largest
partnership to date, whose diverse membership across San Diego County helps deliver on our
commitment to health equity," said Kenzie
Ferguson, vice president of foundation and corporate social
responsibility for Delta Dental of California and affiliates. "Together with all
our partners, we strive to build a better, healthier world where
older adults can age with dignity and continue to be thriving
members of our communities."
Existing partners from Washington,
D.C., Howard University College
of Dentistry and Mary's Center, and from Santa Cruz County, Dientes Community Dental
Care and Salud Para La Gente, have already served more than 6,000
senior patients, 87% of whom fall below the federal poverty level,
demonstrating the program's impact and the vital role of strategic
partnerships in addressing senior health needs.
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation and Health Quality
Partners, along with participating organizations, will commemorate
the grant with a ceremony and check presentation on Monday, May 6, 2024, at 10
a.m. at Vista Community Clinic, located at 1000 Vale Terrace
Drive in Vista, CA.
About Delta Dental Community Care Foundation
The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation is the philanthropic arm
of Delta Dental of California and
its affiliated companies including Delta Dental Insurance Company,
Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and
Delta Dental of New York, Inc.
Since 2011, the Community Care Foundation has awarded more than
$140 million in funding and support
to increase access to quality dental care, oral health education,
and to advance scientific research across the company's 15-state
service area and the District of
Columbia. For more information about the Delta Dental
Community Care Foundation, please visit
https://www.deltadentalins.com/foundation.html.
About Delta Dental of California and affiliates
Since 1955, Delta Dental of California and affiliates has offered
comprehensive, high-quality oral health care coverage to millions
of enrollees and built the strongest network of dental providers in
the country. The Delta Dental of California enterprise includes its affiliates
Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., as well as the national
DeltaCare USA network, and
provides dental benefits to more than 45 million people across 15
states and the District of
Columbia.* All are members of the Delta Dental Plans
Association based in Oak Brook,
Illinois, the not-for-profit national association that
through a national network of Delta Dental companies collectively
covers millions of people nationwide. For more information about
Delta Dental of California, please
visit www.deltadentalins.com.
*Delta Dental of California
and affiliates' operating areas encompass Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New
York, Pennsylvania,
Texas, Utah, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
About Health Center Partners of Southern California
Health Center
Partners of Southern California
(HCP) is a regional primary care association of 16 member
organizations including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Indian
Health Services Organizations, both urban and sovereign, and
Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. HCP's members
collectively serve 638,593 unduplicated patients each year, in 2.7
million patient visits, at 176 practice sites across San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial counties, with the fifth largest
provider group in the region. For more information, please visit
www.hcpsocal.org.
About Health Quality Partners of Southern California
Health Quality
Partners of Southern California
(HQP), established in 1977, a 501(c)(3) and subsidiary of Health
Center Partners, is a non-profit with a mission to advance health
equity and wellness in the communities served by its members.
Through collaborative research and implementation of a broad array
of clinical and non-clinical programs, HQP is an innovation hub
that works to improve patient outcomes, achieve operational
efficiencies, and develop innovative programs. For more
information, please visit www.hqpsocal.org.
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SOURCE Health Quality Partners of Southern California; Delta Dental of
California and affiliates