Atrium Health Foundation Receives Grant from Delta Dental Foundation to Support Pediatric Dentistry Program at Levine Children’s Hospital
$34,000 grant provides funding for critical equipment and supplies for routine and specialized dental care for pediatric patients
CHARLOTTE, N.C., September 17, 2020 – Atrium Health Foundation is the recipient of a $34,438 grant from the Delta Dental Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, to help underwrite operating costs of Atrium Health’s Pediatric Dentistry Program, a service line jointly administered by Levine Children’s Hospital and the Department of Oral Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center. The grant provides funding for critical equipment and supplies needed to offer both routine and specialized dental care to pediatric patients with complex medical needs or chronic health issues.
The Pediatric Dentistry Clinic first opened on the Carolinas Medical Center Main campus in recent years with funding from a grant awarded by The Duke Endowment. Since that time, the demand for care at the Levine Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Dental Clinic has only increased. The clinic addresses the need for specialized dental care for medically complex pediatric patients, more than 75% of whom are economically disadvantaged.
“Oral health is an important aspect of overall health and it is a major focus for children with complex medical issues,” said Dr. Scott Goodman, DDS, MS Department of Oral Medicine at Atrium Health. “Thanks to their generosity, we can serve 900 children on average annually in our Pediatric Dental Clinic.”
“The Delta Dental Foundation focuses on the importance of childhood oral health and the hazards children may face,” said Curt Ladig, president and CEO of Delta Dental of North Carolina. “We take pride in our foundation’s support of the Levine Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Dental Clinic, because we know, together, we are influencing children’s overall health and their quality of life for the better.”
The mission of the Delta Dental Foundation is to improve oral health by providing education and dental care to those in need, supporting the dental profession and advancing dental science. A cornerstone of the Foundation’s work is to improve dental access to underserved and high-risk populations. By supporting Atrium Health’s Pediatric Dentistry Program, the Delta Dental Foundation helps to ensure patients receive timely, appropriate and safe dental care for their specific medical needs, avoid less than ideal alternatives, and have access to dental care and consultations while in the hospital receiving treatment.
Atrium Health’s Pediatric Dentistry Program was created through a generous grant from The Duke Endowment, with $200,000 awarded to Atrium Health Foundation to support dentist salaries. The program has filled a critical need in our community, and Delta Dental’s generous funding of additional equipment and supplies will allow the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic to serve even more patients in need of specialized care.
For more information about the Delta Dental Foundation of North Carolina visit DeltaDentalNC.com/GivingBack.
About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is an integrated, not-for-profit healthcare system with over 55,000 teammates at nearly 40 hospitals and hundreds of care locations throughout the Carolinas and Georgia. Atrium Health provides top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care to patients, as well as specialized musculoskeletal programs and organ transplants. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for cancer treatment and in eight different pediatric specialties, it has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize and was the recipient of the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. Its flagship hospital, Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center, is the region’s only Level I trauma center and is consistently rated among the nation’s best. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all. Over the past three years, Atrium Health has provided nearly $2 billion per year in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits.
About the Delta Dental Foundation
The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization, established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. It supports education and research for the advancement of dental science. The Foundation also helps promote oral health to the public through direct oral health services or oral health education, particularly for underserved and rural communities across North Carolina. Learn more at DeltaDentalNC.com/GivingBack
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