03 March 2025

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MDS Foundation Awards Grants to Communities

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The MDS Foundation, the charitable arm of the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS), recently awarded over $100,000 in grants to nine organizations serving the oral health needs of Massachusetts residents.

“Each year, the Foundation provides grants to champion oral health initiatives throughout the Commonwealth. This year, we are especially proud of the MDS Foundation’s work in providing funding to diverse communities across the state,” shared MDS Foundation Chair Janis Moriarty, DMD. “We will continue breaking down barriers to care and improving the oral health of Massachusetts residents through the Foundation’s continued efforts and the generosity of our donors.”

The annual Access to Care grants support programs that increase access to oral health care and education for underserved communities. The following 2025 grant recipients bring innovative programs and initiatives to those in need.

Access to Care Grant Recipients

• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), whose mission is to ensure unconditionally equitable and dignified access to the highest quality health care for all individuals and families experiencing homelessness, was awarded $12,500 to help expand its reach.
• Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD), a provider of accessible and preventive oral health care for underserved teens and young adults in Cambridge, MA, received a $7,000 grant. This funding will be used to provide regular dental screenings, oral health education, and resources for students at the Cambridge Teen Health Center over the school year.
• Dental Lifeline Network (DLN)—Donated Dental Services (DDS) Massachusetts, which has offered underserved patients in Massachusetts access to pro bono dental care since 2005, received a $15,000 grant. This funding will provide oral health care for 30 individuals with disabilities, fragile medical conditions, and the elderly.
• Harvard University Aquinnah Wampanoag Outreach Group (AWOG), a collaboration between the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah (WTGH) and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), received a $6,000 grant to help establish a portable dental chair and teledentistry services for members of the community.
• Hillcrest Dental Care received a $15,000 grant to help fund a mobile dental clinic in the Berkshire region. For more than 40 years, Hillcrest has provided oral health care to high-need patients in the greater Berkshires, serving over 15,000 patients annually.
• NeighborHealth Corporation, which works to promote and sustain healthy communities and families by providing comprehensive primary and preventive services, received a $5,500+ grant. The grant will be used to continue providing oral health care to students through a school-based health center at East Boston High School.
• Smiles for Success Foundation was awarded a $10,000 grant to help expand its reach within Massachusetts. For 30 years, Smiles for Success has provided free dental care to women transitioning from job readiness or workforce reentry programs into employment.
• Tufts University Cares for Veterans Program aims to improve access to oral health care for veterans in Massachusetts experiencing housing insecurity and to educate providers on their role in community-based settings. The Cares for Veterans Program, formerly known as Service with a Smile, received a $15,000 grant to expand its programming to reach more veterans with oral health education, oral health and cancer screenings, and connections to dental homes for long-term care.
• Volunteers in Medicine (ViM) Berkshires, which works to disrupt systemic barriers to health equity by providing free care to individuals ineligible for health insurance and who meet income qualifications, was awarded a $20,000 grant to support its second clinic in Pittsfield, MA. This clinic offers both dental and general health services.

About the Massachusetts Dental Society

The Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS), a 5,000+ member professional association and statewide constituent of the American Dental Association, is dedicated to the professional development of its member dentists through initiatives in education, advocacy, the promotion of the highest professional standards, and championing oral health in the Commonwealth.

Source: www.massdental.org