Realizing the Reward: Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation’s Lasting Impact

Dental of Colorado Foundation’s (DDCOF) partnership with Denver Health began more than 10 years ago with a shared belief: everyone deserves high-quality care, no matter their circumstances. As a trusted health care provider deeply connected to Denver’s communities, Denver Health aligns closely with DDCOF’s mission to make oral health accessible and equitable for everyone in Colorado.

What began as a natural alignment of values has grown into a strategic partnership. Together, DDCOF and Denver Health have connected dental care more closely to overall health, expanded access to oral health care, and strengthened the oral health workforce. Along the way, this alliance is improving lives and changing health systems for the better.

Connecting oral health to overall health

Traditionally, dental care has been siloed, with little connection to other health care modalities. Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation aims to change that by supporting programs that bring dental care directly into regular medical settings, allowing patients to receive dental care as part of their overall health checkups.

Denver Health has taken the lead in making this happen. With support from DDCOF, they’ve successfully combined dental and medical services in multiple clinics, bringing access to dental care to people who had never visited a dentist before.

Reaching families where they are

For many families, issues like transportation, costs, or time off work make accessing dental care difficult. DDCOF and Denver Health overcome these barriers together by bringing dental services directly into schools and community spaces. A Pediatric Dental Patient Navigator helps more than 1,600 children every year across 70 schools. The Evie Dennis School-based Health Center includes a Community Dental Health Coordinator.

These roles enable students and families to access dental care without extra travel or expense. DDCOF also supports virtual care options (teledentistry) and proactive outreach to bring families timely, convenient care.

Investing in community members

To Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, creating a healthier community means investing in people, not just programs. DDCOF scholarships for Denver Health’s Dental Assistant Program expand access to careers in dental care for students who face barriers to education.

Today, many scholarship recipients work in the same clinics and neighborhoods where they grew up. This link helps build a workforce that better understands and connects with the people it serves, making care more welcoming and effective.

DDCOF is broadening this effort with a new Expanded Dental Assistant Training Program, which will train more dental assistants across Colorado. Through these efforts, the oral health workforce will continue to grow and reflect the communities it serves.

Measuring real results

For DDCOF, success means creating sustainable changes that communities can build upon. Along with providing care, Denver Health led Colorado’s statewide effort to evaluate the results of its partnership with DDCOF. They found that more children now receive regular dental care at school, and patients who previously went without dental services are now regularly getting preventive treatments.

By sharing the lessons learned with health care providers nationwide, clinicians have a better understanding of how linking dental and medical care can make a lasting difference for patients and communities.

Looking ahead

Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation remains deeply committed to creating a future where every person in Colorado has access to dental care as part of their overall health care. DDCOF continues to partner with Denver Health on projects such as the Expanded Dental Assistant Training Program and the re-launch of Colorado’s oral health coalition through the Public Health Institute at Denver Health (PHIDH).

The two organizations share a willingness to test how thoughtful philanthropic investments can transform health care delivery. Both agree that when communities have integrated care, a diverse and well-trained workforce, and support from committed partners, everyone benefits. DDCOF’s partnership with Denver Health demonstrates the power of collaboration to create healthier, stronger communities for years to come.

If you’d like to make a gift today, visit Denver Health Foundation’s donation page. Together, we can build a healthier Denver for all.

Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation remains deeply committed to creating a future where every person in Colorado has access to dental care as part of their overall health care.