Delta Dental Team Volunteers with Prevent Blindness Iowa

Posted on February 27, 2025 in Giving Back

Delta Dental of Iowa gives back to Iowa communities in many ways, including through volunteerism. Throughout the year, team members have the chance to give back through quarterly volunteer opportunities. We strive to improve the health and smiles of Iowans and believe it’s important for our employees to give back to the communities in which we live and work. 

In January, 27 Delta Dental team members volunteered with Prevent Blindness Iowa, an organization that partners with childcare centers and schools to provide vision screenings, educate Iowans on how to avoid vision loss and to help individuals with barriers secure access to vision care. 

Vision plays a critical role in early childhood development with 80-90% of a child’s learning during the first 12 years of life occurring through vision. Vision screenings are important as one in four school-aged children has a vision problem that if not detected or treated early could impact not only a child’s learning, but their overall health and wellness.  

Our Day of Volunteerism 

Over two days, Delta Dental team members helped screen 529 students at a Des Moines Public middle school, with 24% of those screened referred for additional care. They also assisted with screening 492 children at a Des Moines Public elementary school, where 25% of students received referrals.  

Volunteers operated a Spot vision screener and recorded the vision screening results. Screening with technology can help identify farsightedness, nearsightedness and other potentially harmful eye conditions. 

Prevent Blindness Iowa partners with Vision To Learn for referrals. If a student didn’t pass the screening, Vision To Learn brings their mobile vision clinic to the school and provides a free, complete eye exam and up to two pairs of free glasses (if prescribed) for these students.  

Both Prevent Blindness Iowa and Vision To Learn have received funding from Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation and DeltaVision to support them in executing their missions and we are grateful for their partnership as we work to improve the health and smiles of Iowans 

The Delta Dental team enjoyed bringing smiles to children by participating in the vision screening process.