Hartford County’s Goodwin University to Receive $10,000 Grant to Fund Dental Hygiene Scholarship Program
GLASTONBURY, CT – August 14, 2023 – The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Connecticut (DDCT), has announced that Goodwin University in Hartford County will receive $10,000 in grant funding to support its Dental Hygiene Scholarship Program.
This year, the DDNJ Foundation is funding a special series of grants dedicated to establishing or expanding dental assisting programs and school-to-career programs for high school students in memory of Dr. Gene F. Napoliello, who served as the Foundation’s longtime Chairman.
Approximately 2,288 college students, patients of the school clinic, and community members will benefit from the grant. The primary focus of this grant is to provide dental hygiene student scholarships.
“Goodwin University and the Dental Hygiene program are very grateful to receive this grant award for student scholarships. It will help our students with the costs of their education, allowing them to focus on their studies,” said Christine Walsh, dental hygiene program director, Goodwin University.
Students in Goodwin’s Dental Hygiene program work under the direct supervision of experienced and licensed dental hygiene faculty and dentists and put in a substantial amount of clinical work by providing free dental services include dental cleanings, x-rays, oral cancer screenings, and periodontal and caries risk assessments to patients from the community.
“The Delta Dental Foundation is dedicated to improving the oral health of Connecticut residents,” said Dennis G. Wilson, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Connecticut (DDCT) and vice president of the Delta Dental Foundation. “You can’t put a price on a healthy smile. These projects renew our oral care commitment to our communities and address the challenges they face head on.”
The more than $250,000 in grant funding will reach four of the eight Connecticut counties through a range of mini or major SMILE grants that will help renew or start programs addressing the dental workforce pipeline and maintaining the dental health of seniors, developmentally disabled adults and children, disadvantaged children, and veterans.
About Delta Dental
In Connecticut, Delta Dental of Connecticut, Inc. is a licensed insurer that writes dental coverage on an insured basis, and Delta Dental of New Jersey administers self-funded dental benefit programs. Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc. is New Jersey’s leading dental benefits company, providing or administering coverage to more than 1.9 million people through contracts with groups and individuals in New Jersey and Connecticut.
Offering dental benefits since 1969, Delta Dental’s mission is to promote oral health to the greatest number of people by providing accessible dental benefit programs of the highest quality, service, and value. We are a not-for-profit service corporation and, as a member of Delta Dental Plans Association, we’re part of a network that provides national dental coverage to more than 85 million people. For more information, visit https://www.deltadentalct.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jackie Zygadlo, MWW
(201) 231-6035, jzygadlo@mww.com
Kim Elmore, Delta Dental of Connecticut
(973) 534-9682, kelmore@deltadentalnj.com