Guardian Grant
Guardian recently granted $400,000 to DLN to help ramp up volunteer dentist recruitment efforts and staffing to treat more individuals who suffer from serious dental issues in Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in 2019. Guardian’s grant is estimated to result in nearly $2.5 million in patient care (for each $1 given to DLN, $8.87 is provided in care).
“Guardian’s support of Dental Lifeline Network is a game changer for the organization and the people with special needs that we help, “ said Fred Leviton, CEO, Dental Lifeline Network. “In addition to funding services last year to help hundreds of people in Washington State, Guardian’s 2019 gift will support our volunteer dentists and labs in Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Virginia that contribute life-changing and life-saving treatment for hundreds more of vulnerable individuals.”
The donation comes on the heels of last year’s $125,000 Guardian grant in the state of Washington, that helped relieve the 147 cases backlogged due to insufficient funding. Since receiving the grant, DLN increased its staffing and has helped more of Washington’s most vulnerable residents.
Patterson Foundation Grant
An $80,000 grant from the Patterson Foundation is helping DLN restore the oral health of 80 elderly, disabled, or medically fragile people through the Donated Dental Services (DDS) Safety-Net programs in Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Massachusetts, Nebraska and Texas, and provide them with $300,000 in dental care. The Patterson Foundation has been a consistent supporter of DLN’s programs.
“We are humbled by the amazing, long-time support of The Patterson Foundation,” said Leviton. “This generous support will not only strengthen our programs in the states we currently operate our Donated Dental Services program but it will also support additional states allowing us to provide comprehensive dental service nationwide to those who need it most.”
The grant also allows DLN to continue use of its medical triage system to prioritize people for assistance through DDS, and build on progress advocating for Medicare coverage of medically necessary dental care. Funding from the grant also supports exploring and developing relationships with national voluntary health and medical organizations to advance integration of an oral/dental health focus in management of chronic diseases. The grant will also advance DLN’s Will You See One Vet? campaign to recruit 100 new dentists and provide $400,000 in donated care for 140 veterans with special needs.
Will You See One
Both grants assist in leveraging DLN’s Will You See One campaign, which recruits volunteer dentists for DLN programs. Launched in 2017, the campaign targets dentists with the powerful message that volunteer dentists have the capacity to not only provide donated dental care but to change lives within their community—sometimes in a life-saving way.
Last year, DLN took the campaign to the next level by focusing on Will You See One Vet, encouraging dentists to support and honor our veterans in need of comprehensive dental care. Through the DDS program, DLN provides comprehensive dental care through a national network of 15,000 volunteer dentists and 3,500 volunteer laboratories.
