By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
Brad Drew said all he wanted to do was deliver a “Happy Smile,” he said in a recent presentation to the Covington Rotary Club.
All that was missing after the afternoon lunch was dental floss.
Drew is the Philanthropy and Communications Manager for Louisville-based, Delta Dental.
“But,” he quickly reminded the group, “I was in the band at Ryle High School, and attended Northern Kentucky University. Philanthropy is my passion.”
And Delta Dental of Kentucky, he said, covers more than 780,000 smiles across the Commonwealth.
Founded as a not-for-profit 501©(4) in 1966 it was then dubbed, the Kentucky Dental Service. Three years later, the group joined Delta Dental Plans Association and the name changed to Delta Dental of Kentucky.
An agreement to offer dental through Blue Cross Blue Shield was struck in 1971; and in 1997 the group left Anthem BCBS to operate as an independently run organization. Louisville became home in 2006.
“Delta Dental Plans Association is comprised of a network of 39 individual Delta Dental companies, operating in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories,” Drew said. “And Delta Dental serves more than 80 million Americans, protecting more smiles than any other dental benefits company, with the largest network of dentists nationwide.”
A little-known fact, according to Drew, is Delta Dental of Kentucky offers individual as well as family plans for dental as well as vision; and group plans which include life and disability and Medicare and senior plans.
But it is the Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation that excites Drew.
“Delta Dental of Kentucky created the Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation to support its mission of ensuring every Kentuckian has a healthy and happy smile,” he said.
And since 2015, more than $20 million has been donated to various projects and non-profit organizations in Kentucky.
The Foundation directs at least 70 percent of its dollars each year directly to dental treatment and oral health education, he said. Thirty percent of its dollars remain available to support general nonprofits and organizations across Kentucky, such as food banks, homeless shelters, veteran’s organizations and more.
Recent Northern Kentucky grantees include DCCH Center for Children and Families, Plan Ahead Smiles Program, Northern Kentucky Health Department, Gateway Community and Technical College Foundation and the Bracken County Health Department.
Over $1,321,126 has been committed to dental treatment this past year, Drew noted.
And a major portion of the Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation – The Smile Champions Program.
“To support good oral health,” Drew said, “Delta Dental gave away quality mouthguards to athletic programs throughout the Bluegrass.”
Mouthguard users are between 82 percent and 93 percent less likely to suffer dentofacial injuries, he said. “And the price of a mouthguard for a youth athlete can be a barrier that prevents usage.”
Athletic coaches, directors and administrators were invited to participate by filling out an online order form.
“Orders were placed between July 5, 2023 and July 23, 2023,” Drew said. “The initial goal was to give away 15,000 mouthguards, however within one month, orders totaled more than 72,000 – a value of more than $1.8M.”
Some 545 schools participated, he said, and plans are already underway to continue the program in 2024.
“I delivered about 7,000 mouthguards in three weeks,” he said. “We offer these to schools, private schools, Catholic schools, club teams, any student athlete.”
The mouthguards come in two sizes – youth and adult – and Drew did say the program went some $200,000 over the projected budget.
“Lexingtion Christian’s football team went to state last season,” he said, “I believe it’s because of our mouthguards.”
That brought a smile to everyone.
To order mouthguards: mouthguards@deltadental.com or go to https://gameonmouthguards.com/.