San Fernando Community Health Center Announces $50,000 in Funding from the Delta Dental Foundation

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(San Fernando, Calif. – July 14, 2023) – San Fernando Community Health Center (SFCHC) proudly announces a grant of $50,000 from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California. This funding, made possible through the Access to Care Grants Program, is dedicated to securing and increasing access to quality, affordable oral healthcare across the 15 states and Washington, D.C. where Delta Dental of California operates.

Since 2011, the Community Care Foundation has contributed more than $130 million to local community partners. The goal of these partnerships is to increase access to care, address health disparities, drive health equity and promote innovation in the oral health field.

Through this strategic grant, SFCHC can continue to provide indispensable services to the most vulnerable in the communities it serves and positively influence the lives of more individuals. As a federally qualified health center, SFCHC integrates dental medicine into primary care and behavioral health to improve patient outcomes.

“At San Fernando Community Health Center, our model of care holds the well-being of the whole person at its center,” said SFCHC Chief Executive Officer Audrey Simons. “A growing body of research shows a direct link between poor oral health and many chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. This funding will advance our efforts to educate patients about the importance of dental care to their overall health, with an emphasis on routine check-ups and preventive care.”

Millions of people across the nation live in areas that do not have enough dentists to serve those in need of care. Socioeconomic barriers also contribute to disparities in access to care and disproportionately affect underserved individuals and families. SFCHC is one of many federally qualified health centers working to integrate medical and dental services for populations with unmet oral health needs and associated chronic diseases.

This year’s Access to Care Grants, representing the program’s largest annual funding, are focused on three key areas: the oral health crisis among older adults, health equity and rural oral health access. The Delta Community Care Foundation and its partners are dedicated to making the communities they serve stronger, healthier and more resilient.

About San Fernando Community Health Center (SFCHC)

SFCHC has been a trusted, patient-centered medical home for the community since 1924. SFCHC’s designation as a federally qualified health center allows it to provide state-of-the art health care services, prevention and education regardless of an individual’s income, insurance status or ability to pay. Dedicated to providing quality care to every person, particularly the most vulnerable and underserved, SFCHC operates at two locations. Its main 17,100-square-foot facility in San Fernando provides primary, dental and behavioral health care, as well as case management and health education. Its additional 1,500-square-foot facility in Mission Hills is co-located with Harbor Recuperative Care Center (HRCC) that provides housing for homeless community members recently released from local acute care hospitals. For more information, visit www.sfchealthcenter.org.

About Delta Dental Community Care Foundation

The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of California and its affiliated companies, including Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and Delta Dental of New York, Inc. Since 2011, the Community Care Foundation has awarded more than $130 million in funding and support to increase access to quality dental care, oral health education and to advance scientific research across the company’s 15-state service area and Washington, D.C. For more information about the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, please visit https://www1.deltadentalins.com/foundation.html

 About Delta Dental of California

Since 1955, Delta Dental of California has offered comprehensive, high-quality oral health care coverage to millions of enrollees and built the strongest network of dental providers in the country. The Delta Dental of California enterprise includes its affiliates Delta Dental Insurance Company, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., as well as the national DeltaCare USA network, and provides dental benefits to more than 44 million people across 15 states and the District of Columbia*. All are members of the Delta Dental Plans Association based in Oak Brook, Illinois, the not-for-profit national association that, through a national network of Delta Dental companies, collectively covers millions of people nationwide. For more information about Delta Dental of California, please visit www.deltadentalins.com

*Delta Dental of California’s operating areas encompass Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.