Delta Dental Invests $271,000 to Improve Oral Health Access in South Carolina

Delta Dental of South Carolina—a nonprofit and leading dental benefits provider—recently invested $271,000 in oral health initiatives across South Carolina, funding five organizations working to expand access to care, strengthen the dental workforce and improve health outcomes.

The grants support programs serving individuals in recovery, patients with complex medical needs, students entering the dental profession and underserved communities statewide:

• Midlands Technical College Foundation (Columbia) received $51,000 to expand training capacity and improve access to low-cost care through updated dental hygiene equipment.
• Prisma Health–Upstate (Greenville) received $50,000 to provide dental restoration support for mothers in recovery from substance use disorders, helping remove barriers to care and support long-term health and stability.
• Tri-County Technical College Foundation (Pendleton) received $50,000 to upgrade dental equipment, strengthening dental assistant training and improving care delivery for patients.
• The Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston) received $50,000 to launch a Special Care Dentistry Fellowship Program, training dental professionals to serve individuals with complex needs.
• Trident Technical College Foundation (North Charleston) received $70,000 to expand education opportunities and increase access to low-cost care through the purchase of advanced dental equipment.

“Dental assistants are in high demand across our region, and we are grateful for Delta Dental’s continued support of our Expanded Duty Dental Assisting program,” said Dr. Mandy Elmore, vice president of academic affairs and workforce development at Tri-County Technical College. “This investment will allow us to enhance our lab with modern equipment, including new dental chairs, thereby strengthening hands-on training for our students and preparing them for careers in dental assisting.”

Executive Director of Community Impact for Delta Dental of South Carolina Stacy Harris added, “We are proud to partner with organizations addressing critical oral health challenges across South Carolina. These investments help expand access to care, strengthen the workforce and support healthier communities.”

To learn how eligible organizations can apply for oral health grant funding in 2026, visit deltadentalsc.com/AboutUs/oral-health-grant-program.

About Delta Dental of South Carolina 

Delta Dental of South Carolina is a trade name of Delta Dental of Missouri, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization and leading dental benefits provider, which operates in South Carolina under that name. As a nonprofit, its mission is to improve overall health and well-being in the communities it serves. It provides more than 411,000 members in South Carolina with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. It also provides access to affordable, high-quality vision care through group vision benefit plans. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need. Delta Dental of South Carolina also created the South Carolina Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at deltadentalsc.com/resourceguide. To learn more about the company, visit DeltaDentalSC.com.

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