2023 Community Impact Report

From our President and CEO

For more than 60 years, Delta Dental of Rhode Island has made it our mission to improve the oral health of all Rhode Islanders. This commitment can be seen both in the products and services we provide for our more than 660,000 members and through our year-round philanthropic efforts.

Through financial support, employee volunteerism and advocacy, we work alongside our healthcare and nonprofit partners to expand access to oral health care and to ensure we do our part to make Rhode Island a better place to live and work.

This year we’ve focused on two areas of Rhode Island’s oral health sector: workforce development and access to care. We’ve expanded existing partnerships and launched new ones with nonprofit organizations, clinics, community health centers, academic institutions and more, to help build workforce-ready talent in Rhode Island’s oral health care field and provide support towards facility expansions to ensure that Rhode Islanders receive the care they need.

In 2023, Delta Dental of Rhode Island provided more than $1.55 million in charitable grants and other donations and more than 2000 hours of employee volunteer time to support more than one hundred nonprofit organizations, including health clinics and other worthy causes. We were also proud to be named one of the Best Places to Work in Rhode Island by Providence Business News; all thanks to our incredible team.

As always, we are pleased to have an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the tremendous work our team and our partners are doing for communities across the state.

We thank our employees, members and partners for their passion for giving back to Rhode Island.

All my best,

Joseph R. Perroni, President & CEO Delta Dental of Rhode Island

Cover photo: Taylan, Tania and Kaylee, Delta Dental of Rhode Island members. “As a busy mom, it’s comforting to know I don’t have to worry about whether I have really good insurance for my kids.”

2023 Community Impact

Delta Dental of Rhode Island is committed to ensuring oral health care is accessible and affordable to all Rhode Islanders. As part of this mission, we have focused on two key initiatives in 2023: workforce development in the oral health care field and expanding access to care.

By the numbers

$572K

Workforce development and education

Creating solutions to strengthen Rhode Island’s oral health care talent pipeline.

TOTAL DONATED $1.55 million

118,000 lives impacted

$527K

Access to care

Expanding access to oral health care for those who need it most through collaboration with community partners.

$453K

Community investment

Providing assistance to organizations that make Rhode Island a better place to live and work.

Workforce development

As the healthcare industry continues to address nationwide workforce shortages, a large focus of Delta Dental of Rhode Island’s community support has been centered on strengthening the talent pipeline in Rhode Island’s oral health sector.

“Your generosity and dedication have allowed us to continue to serve our community and make a real difference in the lives of our patients. We are honored to have Delta Dental as a friend and ally in our work.”

Dr. Elizabeth Benz, director, Samuels Sinclair Dental Center, pictured above.

Oral Surgery Clinic residency program

• Four-year OMFS program

• Two residents per year

• Creation of support staff positions

Launching the Delta Dental Oral Surgery Clinic and the Rhode Island Hospital Oral Surgery Residency Program

In a partnership that dates back more than a decade, Delta Dental of Rhode Island and the Samuels Sinclair Dental Center at Rhode Island Hospital are working together to launch the state’s first Oral Surgery Residency Program. Once established, the Delta Dental Oral Surgery Clinic and the Rhode Island Hospital Oral Surgery Residency Program will be a four-year Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) program. It will accept two residents per year and support multiple newly-created, full-time clinical, administrative, and programmatic positions at Rhode Island Hospital.

The new residency program is made possible through the Delta Dental Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation. The grant will also help fund the purchase of new, industry-best equipment to enhance the center’s operatories, upgrades that are critical to provide dental services to children and intellectually and developmentally disabled patients of all ages.

Delta Dental and the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI)

Scan to watch Delta Dental of RI and CCRI highlighted by the Strada Education Foundation

Delta Dental of Rhode Island provided significant funding to CCRI to upgrade its dental clinic with brand-new, industry-standard equipment. The clinic serves as the training ground for dental hygiene and dental assistant students and provides free oral health services to more than a thousand Rhode Islanders every year.

2023 also marked the first of a multi-year commitment to address the nationwide shortage of dental hygienists through the Delta Dental of Rhode Island Scholarship. Given annually to ten students who commit to working in Rhode Island for at least one year after graduating, the scholarship is helping to create a pipeline of well-trained dental hygienists in our state.

Delta Dental of Rhode Island is a committed employer partner of CCRI, focusing on creating career pathways for students with the help of a grant through the Strada Education Foundation. The partnership was nationally recognized by Strada for its success in aligning business with the work of a community college to build the oral health workforce in the Ocean State.

“We need to ensure young people going to school or starting their careers in and around Rhode Island have pathways to bring their talents and passion into this industry—and we need to ensure those pathways are accessible to anyone and everyone interested in exploring them” —

Joseph Perroni

CCRI partnership

• 20% increase in student enrollment due to expansion of learning labs

• Scholarships for graduating hygienists committed to working in RI

• Employer partner career pathways

“[Delta Dental of Rhode Island’s support of the CCRI program] gives people with less opportunity a chance to do something with themselves. When working you hear Delta Dental everywhere. They’re helping people get a better career.”

Daniel Hernandez, graduate of the Community College of Rhode Island and recipient of the Golden Scaler Award

Access to care

At Delta Dental of Rhode Island, we believe that every Rhode Islander deserves equitable access to oral health care.

“Public health is where my heart is. Delta Dental is at the forefront of access to care.”

Dr. Lagina Bickham, Thundermist Health Center, pictured above at the center’s Delta Dental of Rhode Island Clinic with her patient Joel.

The Delta Dental Clinic at Thundermist Health Center

• 21 operatories

• 5,500 additional patients served annually

• Accessibility for all patients

Thundermist Health Center’s Delta Dental of Rhode Island Clinic

Delta Dental of Rhode Island has played a major role over the last decade in building, expanding or upgrading dental operatories across Rhode Island. Earlier this year, the Delta Dental Clinic at Thundermist Health Center opened in West Warwick. Through our support, Thundermist expanded its dental clinic from 12 to 21 operatories, allowing the organization to treat an additional 5,500 patients every year.

Supporting these facilities simultaneously advances two goals. The fully equipped, industry-standard operatories allow more Rhode Islanders to access the services they need; plus, they evolve into training grounds for oral health students and young professionals.

Partnering to support Rhode Islanders in need

Delta Dental of Rhode Island is proud to be a longtime sponsor of annual free dental events like the Rhode Island Mission of Mercy, Operation Stand Down and the Rhode Island Dental Lifeline Network.

Delta Dental of Rhode Island serves as the premier sponsor of the annual Rhode Island Mission of Mercy, a two-day clinic that has provided more than $3 million in free dental care since its launch in 2012; and as a long-time sponsor of the Rhode Island Dental Lifeline Network, a nonprofit organization that has provided more than $7.5 million in donated dental services since its establishment in 1989.

Scan to watch a video from the 2023 RI Mission of Mercy

Additionally, Delta Dental of Rhode Island supports the Rhode Island Free Clinic, Blackstone Valley Community Health Center, Providence Community Health Centers, Wood River Health and others.

Supporting oral health research by Rhode Island KIDS COUNT

Good oral health is important to overall health in all stages of life. That’s why Delta Dental of Rhode Island remains committed to helping state leaders understand and address the barriers in access to care for our state’s children. We’re proud to provide funding for the oral health research being conducted by Rhode Island KIDS COUNT. The information gathered is critical to continue our mission of ensuring affordable and accessible oral health care for all Rhode Islanders.

“I am very grateful to Delta Dental for supporting our clinic. As a dentist and dental director, I can focus on direct patient care and positive outcomes instead of searching for funding for our program. Our patients’ lives are changed for the better, and it would not be possible without the ongoing support from Delta Dental.”

Dr. Mary McCabe, dental director, Rhode Island Free Clinic

RI Mission of Mercy 2023

• 441 patients served

• 1905 procedures completed

• 460+ volunteers

• $3.2 million in free dental care since inception

Tania and Taylan, Delta Dental of Rhode Island Members.

2,000 hours volunteered

110 organizations supported $177K raised through matching gift program

Employees give back

Our culture of giving back to Rhode Island permeates throughout our entire organization. Year after year, our employees find time to volunteer their talent, passion and expertise to organizations and causes that need a helping hand. In fact, in 2023, we were honored to have that commitment recognized by Rhode Island Monthly and the Rhode Island Foundation with a Common Good Award.

Whether walking together to raise funds for the American Heart Association, volunteering over two days at the annual RI Mission of Mercy event, supporting the Rhode Island Food Bank at various events throughout the year, or passing out water to runners at the Providence Marathon, our employees are committed to giving back and making a real difference in our community.

Delta Dental of Rhode Island proudly supports

American Heart Association

Blackstone Valley Community Health Center

Care New England Health System

CareLink

Community College of Rhode Island

Community Preparatory School

Comprehensive Community Action Program

Crossroads Rhode Island

Dental Lifeline Network Rhode Island

Junior Achievement of Rhode Island

Lifespan

Make-a-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island

Providence Community Health Centers

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

Rhode Island Department of Education

Rhode Island Free Clinic

Rhode Island Health Center Association

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT

Rhode Island Mission of Mercy

Rhode Island Oral Health Coalition

Samuels Sinclair Dental Center

Special Olympics Rhode Island

Teach for America

Thundermist Health Center

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

United Way of Rhode Island

Wood River Health

Pictured above: Rhonda, Diana and Linda from our customer service team—just three of the people behind the smiles.