The Delta Dental Foundation announced the recipients of its seventh annual Community Mini-Grant Program designed to support activities that address the oral health needs of residents in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

Winners were selected based on the activity’s focus on children, uniqueness, potential value, measurable results and community involvement. Thirty-three grants totaling $105,116 were awarded to programs in the three states.

The recipients from Michigan are:

• Paula L. Tutman Children’s ToothFairy Foundation in West Bloomfield received a $3,000 grant to expand its The ToothFairy is In! Children’s Oral Health and Treatment Services program.

• Samaritan Center, Inc. in Detroit received a $5,000 grant to provide dental care, education and training to underserved populations in Detroit.

• Special Olympics Michigan, Inc. in Bloomfield received a $1,000 grant to provide free dental screenings for children and adults with intellectual disabilities at Special Olympics events. 

• The School Dentist Smile Foundation in Beverly Hills received a $5,000 grant to provide portable, preventative dental services to school children who do not have dental insurance, do not qualify for Medicaid benefits and have limited financial resources.

• The Traveling Tooth Station in Farmington Hills received a $1,500 grant for the Jump Start to a Healthy Smile program which is designed specifically for young mothers and their babies to reduce early childhood tooth decay through preventative treatments.

• Capital Area Community Services, Inc. Head Start & Early Childhood Programs in Lansing received a $1,667 grant to provide fluoride varnish treatments for Head Start and Early Head Start children.

• Community Healthcare Connections (CHC) in Battle Creek received a $5,000 grant for the Dentists’ Partnership Preventative Dental Services Project.

• Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo in Kalamazoo received a $3,709 grant to purchase toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and teaching supplies for the Caring for Your Smile program which focuses on oral health and nutrition education for children in Kalamazoo Public Schools.

• Covenant Community Care in Detroit received a $5,000 grant for the expansion of the school based dental program which provides exams, x-rays, fluoride, sealants and education to 1,500 low income children in Detroit.

• Ferris State University in Big Rapids received a $5,000 grant to provide oral health services and educational programs for local community children.

• Grand Traverse County Health Department in Traverse City received a $2,500 grant to promote the expansion of the Healthy Kids Dental (HKD) program.

• Greater Flint Health Coalition in Flint received a $2,000 grant to for the Baby Those Teeth campaign which is designed to reduce consumption of sugar sweetened beverages amongst preschool aged children and educate them on proper oral hygiene.

• Hackley Community Care in Muskegon received a $1,239 grant to purchase fluoride treatments and materials for the Keep Students Smiling program which educates first grade students on proper brushing, flossing and nutrition and provides them with fluoride varnish treatments. 

• Hannahville Indian Community in Wilson received a $3,180 grant to provide community education and prevention services for the Potawatomi Indian Tribe population.

• Health Delivery, Inc. in Saginaw received a $5,000 grant for additional equipment and expansion of the Smiles Are Everywhere school-based prevention program.

• New Harvest Development Corporation in Flint received a $5,000 grant to provide free screenings and low-cost dental care to underserved children in Flint and Pontiac. 

• University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit received a $5,000 grant to for the Give Kids a Smile event which will provide free dental care to underserved children while providing a learning experience for dental students. 

• Upper Peninsula Association of Rural Health Services, Inc. in Marquette received a $5,000 grant to provide sealants to underserved children in the Upper Peninsula.

• Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency in Wyandotte received a $2,000 grant to provide restorative treatment to low-income children without insurance coverage through the Head Start Early Childhood Education program.

“The Delta Dental Foundation is thrilled to award such a substantial number of grants this year to so many deserving organizations,” said Teri Battaglieri, director of the Delta Dental Foundation. “These organizations are truly dedicated to improving the oral health of those in communities across the state of Michigan.”