Smiles For Kids grant to brighten smiles in county

Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project, Inc. in Cashiers has received $5,000. 

Across the state, nearly $150,000 is being invested in 39 N.C. nonprofits and will reach nearly 78,000 children across the state. 

The Delta Dental Foundation the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of North Carolinas, recently awarded $148,728 to 39 North Carolina nonprofits under the Smiles for Kids program. Smiles for Kids helps fund dental education initiatives and programs designed to promote children’s oral health – and this year, nearly 78,000 children will benefit.

“Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, and children miss 34 million hours of school every year in the United States due to emergency dental issues,” said Curt Ladig, president and CEO of DDNC. “We hope this year’s grants will help provide more access to dental services and education for children who may not otherwise have it, allowing them to show up to school healthy and ready to learn. After all, everyone deserves a healthy smile.”

In North Carolina, 15.3 percent of kindergarten students already have untreated tooth decay. Through the Smiles for Kids program, the DDF strives to educate the public on the importance of preventative oral health care and to help fund initiatives and programs designed to promote children’s oral health. Smiles for Kids supports safety-net dental clinics and North Carolina nonprofits, which provide critical dental services and education to local residents, especially to children in systemically disadvantaged areas.