At Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF), we believe oral health is essential to overall health, and that every Coloradan deserves a healthy mouth, regardless of who they are, where they live, or what they earn. That’s why we’re proud to announce our 2026 grant awards: $3.2 million in strategic investments ranging from one to three years, funding 25 innovative projects through our access and prevention initiatives. Together, these grants will reach 57 of Colorado’s 64 counties, including four organizations with statewide reach, impacting urban, rural, and frontier communities.
Our initiatives are the culmination of a year-long strategic planning process informed by an in-depth analysis of Colorado’s oral health landscape. We examined oral health disparity data across all 64 counties, engaged partners and listened to communities through three listening tours, and aligned our resources with the greatest needs. They reflect our commitment to drive meaningful change and promote oral health equity.
We prioritized prevention because untreated tooth decay remains one of the most common chronic conditions among children and older adults. We focused on access because rural and frontier communities experience severe provider shortages, and Colorado’s oral health workforce does not yet reflect the diversity of the communities it serves. And we invested in innovation because sustainable change requires bold solutions like integrated care models and laying the groundwork for Colorado’s first dental therapy program. Learn more about our initiatives in this three-minute video.
Our grantees’ work will result in fewer emergency dental visits, more children starting school ready to learn without pain, and older adults maintaining oral health and the quality of life it affords. It will support building a workforce that is inclusive of diverse backgrounds across the entire state. And ultimately, it will get us closer to a future where oral health equity makes having a healthy mouth a reality for all Coloradans.
Below is a list of our 2026 grantees, along with a summary of what their grant will accomplish:
Prevention Grants
Inner City Health Center: Integrate medical, dental, and behavioral health services to provide whole-person care and early intervention for underserved patients.
Colorado Gerontological Society: Pilot a statewide initiative to identify and reduce barriers to preventive dental care for older adults through screenings and referrals.
Healthy Child Care Colorado: Embed oral health prevention into early childhood systems through training, toolkits, and caregiver education statewide.
Garfield County Public Health: Deliver school-based and senior oral health services in rural areas, including sealants and telehealth consults.
Northwest Colorado Health: Expand mobile dental services for children and seniors in Routt and Moffat Counties to reduce access barriers.
La Plata County Public Health Department: Integrate oral health screenings and education into routine immunization visits for children and older adults.
Chaffee County Public Health: Provide preventive dental care and education for children and seniors, including sealants and chronic disease screenings.
Tri-County Health Network (Skippy Dental): Offer school-based preventive dental care using telehealth technology in rural western Colorado.
Family & Intercultural Resource Center: Deliver culturally relevant oral health education and resources to low-income families in Summit County.
Rocky Mountain Public Media: Run a statewide bilingual media campaign to raise awareness about oral health for older adults.
Vail Valley Charitable Fund: Provide preventive dental care and navigation for uninsured children in Eagle County.
Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation: Expand school-based oral health programs in Aurora Public Schools to serve underserved children.
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: Provide preventive oral health care for children and seniors experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Community Partnership for Child Development: Improve oral health among low-income children through education and preventive care in El Paso County.
Kids in Need of Dentistry (KIND): Sustain and expand oral health services for children while investing in infrastructure and workforce development.
Northeast Colorado Health Department: Deliver preventive dental care and education to children in rural northeast Colorado.
Summit Community Care Clinic: Expand pediatric dental care access and education in Summit, Lake, and Park counties.
Access Grants
Arrupe Jesuit High School: Pilot an oral health career track for low-income high school students through work-study placements.
Colorado Mesa University Foundation: Expand oral health career awareness through camps, mentorship, and training in Western Colorado.
Aurora Public Schools: Arapahoe 28J: Enhance dental assistant training and create statewide career advancement pathways.
Generation Schools Network Inc.: Provide hands-on oral health career exposure for middle and high school students across Colorado.
Latin American Educational Foundation: Expand oral health career pathways and scholarships for Latino students in Southern Colorado.
Project Worthmore: Diversify the oral health workforce through mentorship, internships, and career awareness programs for refugees and immigrants.
Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning: Guide immigrants and refugees toward oral health careers through coaching and recredentialing support.
Pikes Peak State College Foundation: Lay the groundwork for a dental therapy program to expand access to care in underserved communities.
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