DentaQuest Foundation launches oral health initiative

The DentaQuest Foundation has launched its Strengthening the Oral Health Safety Net Initiative by awarding a $250,000 grant to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).

The grant supports NACHC in implementing a program to promote oral health access at community health centers across the U.S.

In addition to the NACHC award, the DentaQuest Foundation initiated a competitive request for proposal process and selected five state primary care associations (PCAs) that will receive funding to develop oral health technical assistance and leadership. The goal of the initiative is to prepare PCAs to support their member health centers in expanding oral health.

The five selected PCAs are the Arizona Association of Community Health Centers, Georgia Association for Primary Health Care, Illinois Primary Health Care Association, Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, and Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers.

Overall, the DentaQuest Foundation and the DentaQuest Institute are committing $1.75 million to the Strengthening the Oral Health Safety Net Initiative, the foundation noted.

"When healthcare reform goes into effect in 2014, nearly every child in the U.S. will have access to dental care, many for the first time," said Ralph Fuccillo, DentaQuest Foundation president, in a press release. "We are concerned that the oral health safety net in its current state will not be able to handle the volume of new individuals seeking care. In launching the DentaQuest Foundation's Strengthening the Oral Safety Net Initiative, we are investing in the preservation and growth of existing and new programs to create a stronger safety net."