Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation Awards Over $270,000 to Improve Children’s Oral Health
29 Illinois organizations receive 2025 Community Grants
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Nov. 12, 2025) – Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Delta Dental of Illinois, awarded more than $270,000 to 29 nonprofit and community organizations through its annual Community Grants Program. The grants support organizations that share the Foundation’s commitment to expanding access to care and improving the health and well-being of children and families across Illinois.
“When children have access to quality health care, their potential is limitless,” says Lora Vitek, executive director of the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation. “Oral health is the foundation of overall well-being. Through our Community Grants Program and statewide partnerships, we’re paving the way for every child to access the care that supports a lifetime of healthy smiles.”
Since 2012, Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation’s Community Grants Program has provided more than $2 million to support organizations that help increase access to oral health care and education. The following organizations are Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation’s 2025 Community Grants Program recipients:
AHS (Asian Human Services) Family Health Center, Chicago
Funding will be utilized to improve access to oral health services for patients who are uninsured, underinsured or on Medicaid. The health center focuses on providing patients with regular check-ups, cleanings and fluoride treatments to maintain optimal oral health.
Bethany for Children & Families, Moline
Bethany for Children & Families' Give Kids a Smile Mobile Dental Program provides free dental care for approximately 2,000 underserved, low-income Illinois children each year.
Bond County Health Department, Greenville
Funding will support the expansion of the Bond County Health Department dental clinic through the purchase of a dental chair to help increase the volume of patients served.
Clay County Health Department, Flora
Clay County Health Department will use funding for its Public Health Educator to attend community events and provide oral health education and awareness. Funding will also support mobile dental units and professional partners to provide free preventive dental care to the community.
Community Health & Emergency Services, Inc., Carbondale
Funding will support the purchase of upgraded digital x-ray sensors for pediatric care in rural dental clinics. This investment ensures continued access to safe, high-quality diagnostic imaging for children, reduces appointment times, and expands the number of children served.
DeWitt-Piatt Bi-County Health Department, Clinton
Grant funding will be utilized to purchase a handheld x-ray unit for their Monticello office for preventive care. Both DeWitt and Piatt counties have a lack of Medicaid dental providers.
Ferrell Hospital, Eldorado
The Lifelong Smiles Initiative works to improve dental health across four counties in southern Illinois. The program will provide school-based oral health and hygiene education in partnership with local dental offices to deliver interactive lessons supported by educational props and supplies.
Hancock County Health Department, Carthage
Funding will help support the re-opening of the Hancock County Dental Center through the purchase of updated equipment and technology.
Elgin Adventist Church/Heal Elgin Project, Elgin
Heal Elgin is a two-day clinic for underserved populations that includes dental care and other services. They will host 40 dental stations with more than 200 patients on the Judson University campus.
Hult Center For Healthy Living, Peoria
Funding will be used to implement an educational program in low-income Pre-K through 1st grade classrooms and on-site at the Hult Center. Children will have the opportunity to use hands-on educational props to practice brushing and flossing.
IWS Family Health, Chicago
Funding will support the establishment of a dental home serving children in communities with high poverty rates and limited access to care. The facility includes seven operatories, plus a dedicated space for children with disabilities. A bicultural, bilingual staff, comprised of four dentists, a dental hygienist, and four expanded-duty dental assistants, provides family-centered, accessible care that reflects the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and community well-being.
Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood
The program will improve access to dental care for children with specific health needs in Illinois by expanding appointment availability and introducing a virtual option for patient assessments. Currently, they are one of only a few hospitals in Illinois that provide dental care to children with disabilities in the operating room.
Macon County Health Department, Decatur
Macon County Dental Clinic is a small, but vital healthcare provider staffed by one dentist, one office manager, one receptionist and three dental assistants. Funding will enable the Dental Clinic to maintain its current workforce, ensuring they continue meeting the oral health needs of the community.
McDonough County Health Department, Macomb
Funding will be utilized to expand oral health education to children in preschool programs and Head Start. They will have a health educator visit classrooms with oral health curriculum and activities.
Milestone Dental Clinic, Rockford
Milestone Dental Clinic aims to provide individualized treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of patients with developmental disabilities. Funding will help cover the cost of oral exams, cleanings, and fluoride treatments for individuals without insurance coverage, Illinois Medicaid, or the financial means to pay for care.
Mobile Care Chicago, Chicago
Mobile Care Chicago is undergoing a multi-year expansion of the organization’s dental program and will launch an additional Dental Van focused on the townships of western Cook County. Funding will directly support critical components of the expansion, including the addition of outreach staff to support a greater volume of patients.
North Chicago School District, Chicago
In partnership with Smile Illinois, North Chicago School District 187 will provide essential preventive dental care and oral health education to uninsured students. This initiative will include a campaign to raise awareness of free services available to eligible families. A district-funded health aide will work directly with parents to schedule appointments, complete permission forms, and provide support throughout the process.
Endeavor Health Northwest Community Hospital Mobile Dental Clinic, Arlington Heights
NCH Mobile Dental Clinic operates 4 to 5 days per week and offers an array of preventive and restorative dental services for adults and children. Funding will be used for their school-based program and provide preventive and restorative treatment.
Opportunity Knocks, River Forest
Programming at the River Forest Community Center serves teens and adults ages 22 and older with developmental disabilities. Funding will support oral hygiene education that emphasizes the importance of daily care and early recognition of oral health issues. The program includes clear demonstrations, step-by-step instruction and calm, consistent guidance to reduce anxiety and fear. Caregivers are actively involved to help foster trust and encourage lasting oral health habits.
Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society (IWS), Oak Park
Funding will support the IWS Children's Clinic efforts to provide a dental home for patients through comprehensive care, oral health education, behavioral health screenings and a portable dentistry program in schools.
PCC Community Wellness Center, Oak Park
PCC’s Oral Health Program provides services at the Austin Family Health Center and South Family Health Center, with a focus on children and the belief that education and preventive care are most effective when started early. Funding will be used to update one of its panoramic radiograph machines.
Promise Healthcare, Champaign
Funding will be utilized to launch Oral Health Evaluations and Education for Young Children in Head Start programs and elementary schools in Champaign County and surrounding counties.
Riverbend Head Start & Family Services, Alton
Riverbend Head Start & Family Services’ Oral Health Education and Access Project provide access to oral health services for at-risk children under the age of five, including oral health education for children and their caregivers. Funding will support dental screenings, treatments, and surgeries for families who may otherwise not receive services.
Rural Health, Inc., Anna
Funding will help support the addition of a dental assistant to Rural Health, Inc.’s community health center in Goreville that will increase productivity and workflow.
Southern Seven Health Department, Ullin
Southern Seven Health Department will utilize the funding to expand oral health education and preventive services across the seven southernmost counties of Illinois. These counties have critical shortages of dental providers, high poverty rates, and persistent barriers to oral health care.
St. Bernard Hospital, Chicago
While St. Bernard’s Dental Center is a comprehensive clinic serving underserved communities, it is unique in that it delivers quality oral health care services with a special focus on children with developmental or physical disabilities. Funding will be utilized to continue to support the Dental Center.
The Outreach House, Lombard
The Outreach House has a food pantry that provides food to anyone in York Township experiencing food insecurity. Funding will be utilized to support the Milk to My Plate program. The program ensures that they always have milk available for their guests.
Tisdale Woods Foundation, Chicago
Funding will support Smile Savers, the only hospital-based dental clinic in southern Illinois. The program provides year-round dental care and preventive education to support children and offers a training program for oral surgery dental assistants.
Well Child Center, Elgin
Funding will support The Well Child Center’s Pediatric Dental Clinic and First Tooth Visit Program to provide comprehensive oral health care services and education for low‐income children at low‐ or no‐cost.
The next Community Grants Program application cycle is tentatively scheduled for late summer 2026. For more information on the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation Community Grants Program, visit deltadentalil.com/community-grants.
About Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation
The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation was formed in March 2008 by Delta Dental of Illinois, a not-for-profit dental service corporation with a mission to improve the oral health of the communities it serves. Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Delta Dental of Illinois and works to support and improve the oral health of people in Illinois. In the past decade, combined efforts of Delta Dental of Illinois and Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation have provided more than $32 million to programs and organizations in Illinois that improve the oral health of 1.2 million Illinois residents. For additional information, visit deltadentalil.com/ddilfoundation.