Delta Dental of Washington’s Post

We want our state to be 100% cavity-free!  That’s why we offer dental benefit plans, support community programs, and give back to neighborhoods across Washington. Learn more: Cavityfreewa.com #community #health #wellness #washington #oralhealthcare

Juneteenth is when we acknowledge the day that the last enslaved people in the United States were notified of their freedom, 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation made it so. To many, Juneteenth is America’s second Independence Day.   We’ve closed our offices today in recognition of the importance of Juneteenth.    We pay tribute to the significant contributions so many black and brown people have made. One example is Ida Gray Nelson Rollins, our country’s first female African American dentist. Dr. Rollins graduated from the University of Michigan College of Dentistry in 1890.   Although progress has been made, there is still much work left to do. The systemic barriers that exist in healthcare, including racism, are immense. Delta Dental is committed to working diligently toward a future in which all people can have access to good oral and overall health.   We wish you a joyous Juneteenth – an important day for each of us.  

Get ready to celebrate #Pride month with us! As part of our mission to increase access to oral healthcare with no one left behind, we’re proud to partner with organizations across the state that support, honor, and elevate #LGBTQIA+ people in their communities. In Seattle, we’ll be celebrating with @SeattlePride, beginning with their annual #PrideInThePark festival on June 1, and ending on the last day of the month with the Seattle Pride Parade. But that’s not all! We’ll be on the east side of the state, too. Join us in Riverfront Park in Spokane after the Spokane Pride parade to meet a real-life tooth fairy and win prizes! A healthy mouth is crucial for an overall healthy body. And all bodies deserve to be healthy. We are deeply committed to innovating oral healthcare coverage so that everyone has access to the care they need and recognize that the work must begin on the ground, in the community. If you want to learn more about who we’re partnering with, where you can go for health and wellness resources, and don’t want to miss any Pride events this year, visit our Pride page here! https://bit.ly/3WZnbPa

Now that observances of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr have ended, it is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on our partnership with Muslim Housing Services (MHS) in Seattle. This month they set out to raise $50,000 to deliver food, in keeping with the spirit of Zakat al-Fitr, a tradition which asks celebrants to give what they can to help people experiencing food insecurity in the days after Ramadan and beyond. Since 1999, MHS has been a beacon of hope for low-income families, particularly refugees and immigrants, providing stable housing and empowering them towards self-sufficiency. We’re particularly inspired by MHS's housing-first approach, understanding that stable housing is crucial for fostering education, employment, and overall health. Health and housing are deeply interconnected, and @Delta Dental of Washington was honored to support MHS's mission for a more equitable society. Though Ramadan is over, we can continue to honor our neighbors and keep the thoughtful and generous spirit of Ramadan alive into the future by supporting organizations like MHS that make a difference. Learn more about their impactful work and how you can participate here: https://bit.ly/445XM7T #PostRamadanReflection #CommunityImpact #HousingFirst #DeltaDental #Seattle #SupportLocal #GiveBack

It’s here! We’ve officially published our annual Mission Impact Reflection. It’s where you can find out how we are working toward our mission of increasing access to oral healthcare, with no one left behind. As the nation’s largest not-for-profit oral healthcare benefits provider, we are deeply committed to partnerships and programs that enhance the oral and overall health of all Washingtonians. For us at @Delta Dental of Washington, being an oral healthcare leader means being a responsive community partner. We're thankful for the opportunity to support, reinforce, and invest in a holistic network of local organizations dedicated to a healthier Washington. Organizations like the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Muslim Housing Services, the Salvation Army of Spokane, Boys & Girls Clubs of King County (just to name a few) have proven to be indispensable and critical partners to our mission. Meanwhile, we owe a debt of gratitude to @Arcora Foundation of Delta Dental of Washington which has provided guidance and expertise in our ongoing effort to make the most positive impact possible. For the whole story of our year’s worth of community work, you can read more in our online Mission Reflection here! https://lnkd.in/gMfWWZJm

Washington dental professionals! Volunteer and mentorship opportunities are now open with the Delta Dental of Washington youth awareness program!  This is your chance to inspire the next generation of dental professionals through mentorship and hands-on workshops. Find more information and sign up here! Our Youth Awareness Program partners with local schools and community programs to inspire young people across the state to explore careers in dental health. The program focuses on reaching young people of color and other communities that have been historically underrepresented in the dental profession. It’s all part of our mission to disrupt, transform, and revolutionize the dental industry by increasing access to care for all Washingtonians.  If you’re passionate about sharing your love for dentistry and serving your community, sign up to be part of our pool of volunteers and mentors today! #volunteer #dentalcareers #communityimpact #washingtondentists 

Did you know that April is #OralCancerAwarenessMonth? It’s an often-overlooked oral health concern but prevention and early detection is key to better outcomes. That’s why we’ve partnered with Dr. Lina Kim, founder of the Floss Boss Mobile dentistry unit which bridges the gap between oral healthcare and access, to provide free oral cancer screenings at the University of Washington Seattle campus. Dr. Lina Kim and her staff will be conducting free screenings out of her mobile dentistry unit on Red Square from 9 am to 3 pm. An oral cancer screening is a quick, visual scan that can provide you with important oral health information in under five minutes. The event is free and open to the public to mark the beginning of Oral Cancer Awareness Month, so don’t miss it! It’s all part of our mission to increase oral health access to all Washingtonians with no one left behind. Thank you to Dr. Kim and the Floss Boss team for their commitment to healthy mouths and oral health access and to the University of Washington School of Dentistry for their support.  

Thank you to Santiago Valdez, RDH and Nicolette Slaughter, MBA, for partnering together to launch, expand, and deliver on our Youth Awareness Program, introducing dental careers to the next generation of diverse young people in Washington! As part of our mission to increase access to oral healthcare in Washington State, with no one left behind, this program is leading the charge. The future of the dental industry is more representative and sustainable when we include our young people. We are lucky to have such amazing partners in our community and across the state, and team members so committed to this mission.

We are so proud of this partnership and cannot thank Fotinos Panagakos and the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences School of Dental Medicine enough for their leadership and vision. Here's to training even more cutting-edge oral health providers who will continue the work of increasing access to oral healthcare in Washington! #community #healthcare #healthcarecareers