Mass. Dental Society Foundation 'grants' access to oral health programs

Date: 5/10/2010

The Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) Foundation is launching a new grant-giving program, dedicated to improving the oral health of Massachusetts residents.

As a philanthropic and charitable organization, the MDS Foundation seeks to enhance the oral health of individuals by providing grants to organizations for sustainable programs that improve access to dental care for needy and vulnerable populations within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The foundation distributes funds in various amounts to applicants located in Massachusetts for projects benefiting citizens of the Commonwealth. Priority is given to proposals that have measurable improvement goals, show strong community support for the project and are innovative in nature.

Examples of oral health projects supported by the MDS Foundation include, but are not limited to:

Increasing access to dental care for low income families and children;

Increasing access to dental care for infirm or elderly residents of Massachusetts;

Increasing access to dental care for special needs, developmentally disabled children and adults; and

Supporting community outreach programs, community health centers, etc., that seek to increase access to dental care for local community residents.

The deadline for grant applications is Sept. 1, and funding decisions will be announced in December.

For more information on grant eligibility guidelines and to download an application, visit www.mdsfoundation.org/grants. If you have additional questions, please contact MDS Foundation and Annual Giving Coordinator Loni Sotir at lsotir@massdental.org or at (508) 480-9797 ext. 269.