Delta Dental of Iowa Announces $10.5 million in Relief Programs to Assist Iowa Dentists and Nonprofits
Posted on March 23, 2020 in Corporate
Delta Dental of Iowa Announces $10.5 million in Relief Programs to Assist Iowa Dentists and Nonprofits
Delta Dental offering Advance Claims Payment Program up to $10 million for dentists and $500,000 in grants for Iowa nonprofits to meet growing community needs related to COVID-19
JOHNSTON, IA (March 23, 2020) – Delta Dental of Iowa and the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation have announced two relief programs to offer Iowa dentists and nonprofits assistance due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These relief efforts reinforce Delta Dental’s commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our customers and communities.
The Advance Claims Payment Program will provide financial assistance for Iowa dentists who have been affected by COVID-19 disruptions and address their immediate cash flow needs. $10 million has been allocated for Iowa dentists through this program, which will provide dentists with 50% of their average claims payment for four weeks. In addition, the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation has committed $500,000 for the COVID-19 Nonprofit Emergency Operating Relief Fund, which will provide operating grants up to $10,000 to Iowa nonprofit organizations focused on providing health and wellness services or addressing food insecurity needs during this crisis.
“These are unprecedented times. As a health and wellness company, we are committed to maintaining our services to our customers, but we wanted to do more for Iowa dentists and our community partners,” said Jeff Russell, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Iowa and president of the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. “Caring for our communities has been a core value for our company for over 50 years. We want to ensure our dental and nonprofit partners can continue to provide essential health services during this time and into the future. We are all in this together.”
In Iowa, most dental offices are small businesses with less than 20 employees. Thousands of Iowans are employed by the dental industry, with many dental offices closed or only providing limited services, it will have a significant financial impact on these employees. Dentists can request funds through April 17 by contacting Delta Dental’s professional relations team at [email protected].
The Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation’s new COVID-19 Nonprofit Emergency Operating Relief Grants will be for nonprofits focused on health and wellness services as well as addressing food insecurity needs. These funds can be used to cover fixed operational expenses such as: salaries for medical providers, volunteer coordinators, medical workforce (e.g., lab technicians, CNAs), rent, utilities, Internet, insurance, phone, medical supplies, etc. Nonprofits wanting more information on these grants should go to www.deltadentalia.com/foundation.
Through these two relief programs, Delta Dental is committed to ensuring that our customers and communities receive the care and services they need, and that our dentist partners are supported during this trying time. We are all in this together.