Helping students start the school year with a healthy smile
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (September 3, 2025) – As students across Tennessee head back to school, Delta Dental of Tennessee (Delta Dental) is working to ensure that thousands of them are equipped with one of the simplest tools for good oral and overall health: a toothbrush.
“Oral health is closely tied to a child’s overall well-being and their ability to learn,” said Jeff Ballard, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. “Our Smile180 Foundation has long supported Tennessee’s food banks and their work to meet the needs of families, and we’re proud to once again partner with them to help make sure kids are ready to head back to school healthy and smiling.”
To help ensure that all kids have access to a toothbrush and raise awareness of the connection between nutrition and oral health, Delta Dental has donated more than 50,000 toothbrushes this year to food bank backpack programs across Tennessee. These critical programs provide easy-to-prepare food for at-risk children on weekends and during school breaks when other resources are not available. Over 40% of Tennessee families with children report that they are food insecure.
In Middle Tennessee, 6,600 youth toothbrushes are being delivered to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to support their back-to-school outreach. “Delta Dental continues to be a thoughtful partner in health,” said Dick Brown, Sr. Director of Corporate Engagement at Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee. “These toothbrushes will be a welcome addition to the supplies families receive through our distribution events and programs.”
Delta Dental additionally donated toothbrushes to the following food banks:
- In East Tennessee, Delta Dental provided 3,456 adult toothbrushes and 1,728 youth toothbrushes to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee in Maryville, along with 1,000 Grin for Kids™ booklets.
- Second Harvest of Northeast Tennessee, based in Kingsport, received 4,500 youth toothbrushes.
- In Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank received 9,216 youth toothbrushes and 4,608 adult toothbrushes.
- In Memphis, Mid-South Food Bank received 7,500 youth toothbrushes and 7,500 adult toothbrushes to support families in West Tennessee.
The donation from Delta Dental also includes both youth and adult toothbrushes, as well as Grin for Kids™ booklets with oral health tips designed especially for kids. For additional back-to- school oral health tips, click here to read Delta Dental’s breakdown on how to protect school-age smiles from common dental problems.
To learn more about Delta Dental of Tennessee, visit DeltaDentalTN.com.
To learn more about Delta Dental’s philanthropic work across Tennessee, visit the Smile180 Foundation website.
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About Delta Dental of Tennessee
Delta Dental of Tennessee is the state’s largest independent dental benefits carrier with 1.5 million lives covered. As part of the Delta Dental Plans Association, Delta Dental of Tennessee members have access to the largest dental network in the nation, with more than 206,000 providers serving more than 558,000 locations. With the simple mission of ensuring healthy smiles, Delta Dental of Tennessee works hard to help members of the communities it serves. Along with its corporate foundation, Smile180, Delta Dental of Tennessee donated more than $4.0 million in funding and in-kind services to over 100 organizations in 2024.
About the Smile180 Foundation
Smile180 reflects the transformative power of a healthy smile to turn someone's life around. The Smile180 Foundation supports Tennessee's dental colleges, children's hospitals, free and reduced-cost dental clinics, and other like-minded charities.
About Second Harvest Middle Tennessee
For nearly 50 years, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee has dedicated itself to nourishing and empowering their neighbors so they can thrive. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Second Harvest implements sustainable solutions to food insecurity through a strategically selected network of more than 600 partners across 46 counties in Middle and West Tennessee. Our partners include food pantries, congregate meal sites, shelters, childcare facilities, senior centers, group homes, and youth enrichment programs. For more information about Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, its mission, and programs, please visit secondharvestmidtn.org.