The Lifelong Smiles Coalition gathered in Davenport, IA, last week to kick off a campaign to address the dental needs of Iowa's senior residents. The meeting included the presentation of a check from the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation representing nearly $600,000 in grants.
The coalition was formed to increase access to oral healthcare for older Iowans. It consists of 13 members including state agencies, advocacy organizations, trade associations, health professionals, academic institutions, and funders. In addition to strategic planning to create sustainable ways to help this population, coalition members are working to improve education and training, care coordination, and policies.
The Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation grants include the following:
The Iowa Department of Public Health's I-Smile Silver project will receive $360,100 over the next two years to develop a community-based system of care to improve the oral health of Iowans age 60 and older. The pilot project will work to prevent dental disease, increase access to oral healthcare, and maintain overall health for homebound and nursing home residents in Scott and Lee counties.
The Iowa CareGivers received a Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation grant for $135,516 to provide oral health education for direct care workers, helping them better address the oral healthcare needs of homebound and nursing home residents.
The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics has established an Office of Education and Training to coordinate, develop, and evaluate continuing dental education programs for dentists, hygienists, and assistants, specifically targeted at geriatric oral healthcare. The office was established with the help of a $102,100 grant from the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation.
