The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California, has announced grants totaling $16 million to help increase access to quality oral health care.

Awarded through the foundation’s Access to Care program, the funding will support nonprofit organizations working to increase access to care, address health disparities, drive health equity, and promote innovation in the oral health field. Grants were awarded in areas where Delta Dental of California operates, including Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Since 2011, the foundation has awarded more than $130 million in grants to community organizations.

“This year’s Access to Care grants represent the program’s largest annual funding and are focused on three critical areas of need: the oral health crisis among older adults, health equity, and rural oral health access,” said Delta Dental of California vice president of foundation and corporate social responsibility Kenzie Ferguson. “The important relationships with our partners enable us to achieve our broader mutual goals to help make the communities we serve strong, healthier, and more resilient.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Vasyl Dolmatov)