Home | About Our Foundation | Grantmaking | Special Programs | News | Resources & links | Contact Us About our Foundation Our Mission Background Impact Report Calendar Governance Our Mission Ideally, every Oklahoman would have dental insurance and Delta Dental of Oklahoma strives to make it available and affordable. But many Oklahomans are still uninsured, and unable to afford necessary prevention and care. Many live in underserved rural areas without dental services nearby. And many are unaware of the actions they can take to help avoid dental disease. As a not-for-profit corporation, Delta Dental of Oklahoma is committed to significant, ongoing contributions to Oklahoma communities. Dental insurance is their business, but dental care access is their mission. That’s why they created the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Charitable Foundation. The mission of the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Charitable Foundation is to facilitate dental health and education in the state of Oklahoma by funding programs and services that promote oral health. The Foundation fulfills its mission by performing a variety of functions, such as: Providing grants to numerous free and low-cost inner-city and rural dental clinics and services to help provide vital care to those less fortunate Publishing the Resource for Dental Care guide and newsletter to help connect dental care resources to each other and to those in need Educating thousands of elementary age children each year about good oral hygiene and dental disease prevention through our Captain Supertooth program Supporting the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and its outreach and educational programs Awarding scholarships to Oklahoma dental students who intend to practice in Oklahoma upon graduation, increasing the number of dentists in our state Return to Top Background: A Legacy of Giving From its inception in 1998 through 2007 the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Charitable Foundation contributed over $1.5 million to dozens of dental health and education related projects and initiatives. In 2008 the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Charitable Foundation gave awards totaling nearly $500,000, making it the state’s single largest contributor to dental related causes. “The Journal Record” recognized those efforts by selecting Delta Dental as the recipient of its inaugural Beacon Award for philanthropic impact. But Delta Dental’s board of directors agreed there was so much more that could be achieved with additional money. That led to a major decision to increase funding to the Foundation to nearly $1.5 million for 2009 – an increase of more than 300 percent over the previous year. "There is so much need in Oklahoma and we are in a unique position to dramatically improve the availability of more care and education," said John Gladden, president and CEO. “Our hope is to be able to take this increased funding to provide further support to dental professionals volunteering their time and make the Foundation the center of benevolent dental care for all Oklahomans. We believe it's our responsibility to do so." In 2010 Delta Dental of Oklahoma will again contribute 50% of its annual contribution to reserves – over $1.4 million – to its Charitable Foundation for the support of dental care and education programs across the state. Return to Top 2010 Impact Report Calendar The Delta Dental of Oklahoma Charitable Foundation has released its first Impact Report in the form of a 2010 calendar which features several foundation grant recipients. The Impact Report Calendars were mailed to providers, customers, and other Delta Dental associates in December 2009. “We were looking for a way to spread the word about the amazing work being done by our grant recipients throughout the state,” said John Gladden, Delta Dental CEO. “Unlike typical annual reports, the calendar format serves as a yearlong useful tool that we think people will really enjoy.” Click here to download a PDF version of the 2010 Impact Report Calendar. Return to Top Governance The Delta Dental of Oklahoma Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation. While a separate entity from Delta Dental of Oklahoma, the Foundation is the company’s philanthropic affiliate. The Foundation is governed by a committee comprised of members of the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Board of Directors. Grantmaking decisions are determined by the Foundation Committee. Charitable Foundation Committee Members Dr. Mike Preston McLeod, Chair of Committee, Oklahoma City Dr. Debbie Corwin, Bristow Dr. L. Colin Foster, Clinton Dr. Stephen Glenn, Tulsa Mr. Jim Hampton, Oklahoma City Dr. Mitchell Kramer, Edmond Dr. Stephen McKeever, Enid Mr. W. Roger Webb, Edmond Mr. John E. Gladden, President and CEO John Gladden, Delta Dental of Oklahoma President/CEO, and Dr. Michael McLeod, Foundation Committee Chair Return to Top