ST. LOUIS — Delta Dental of Missouri, the state’s leading dental benefits provider and oral health-focused nonprofit, has announced an additional $500,000 investment in its Workforce Development Initiative for 2025. The funding is aimed at growing the dental workforce and expanding access to oral healthcare across Missouri and South Carolina.
Building on its initial $500,000 commitment in 2023, Delta Dental’s continued investment seeks to address the ongoing shortage of dental professionals. The initiative targets high school students, college students, and working-age adults, helping them pursue careers in dental health professions such as dentistry, dental hygiene, and dental assisting.
In partnership with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services – Office of Dental Health, Delta Dental will distribute the 2025 grant funds to qualified organizations that are working to expand the state’s dental workforce. Of the $500,000 allocated for next year, $375,000 will support programs within Missouri.
These grants will fund the development of innovative training and education programs. They will also help increase dental care access for underserved children and adults, especially those living in rural communities.
“We’re thrilled by the accomplishments of organizations and students who benefited from our Workforce Development grants in 2023,” said Rob Goren, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Missouri. “Their work is crucial in growing the dental workforce and advancing access to critical care, especially for those in need. In 2025, we’re continuing our investment and partnering with fellow oral health leaders to inspire students to pursue a dental care profession. Investing in this workforce helps change the lives of the students and the thousands of patients they can treat throughout their careers.”
One of the local recipients of the 2023 grants, the Missouri Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) in Kirksville, received $40,000 to enhance oral health science activities for middle and high school students and to develop scholarships and mentorship programs. The funding supported dental assisting students across multiple regions, including Northwest, West Central, Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest Missouri. Three graduates from the program have already entered the workforce as dental assistants.
Additionally, AHECs organized dental career workshops for 75 rural high school students, offering shadowing opportunities and scholarships to participate in the Dental Admission Test (DAT) Prep program.
Delta Dental of Missouri’s Workforce Development Initiative is part of the organization’s broader mission to improve oral health outcomes and support sustainable access to care in the communities it serves.
