DELTA DENTAL OF MISSOURI CONTINUES OFFERING
VIRTUAL LAND OF SMILES^® PROGRAM 

Ongoing COVID-19 Impact, Coupled with Rave Reviews, Keeps Program on Virtual Path

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (March 1, 2021) … Delta Dental of Missouri’s Land of Smiles^® program, known for visiting hundreds of elementary schools throughout Missouri each year to teach grade-school children good dental health habits, will continue offering its virtual educational experience through the remainder of the current school year. The company is the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a non-profit organization, which launched its virtual program in September 2020. Since then, more than 61,600 students from 296 schools in 80 Missouri counties have participated in the engaging, age-appropriate online program either in the classroom or through partial or full-time virtual learning. Delta Dental of Missouri is now taking scheduling requests for the Spring 2021 semester. 

“In response to the pandemic and its impact on Missouri students and schools, we pivoted to develop our new virtual Land of Smiles program to meet evolving needs,” said Rob Goren, president and chief executive officer at Delta Dental of Missouri. “We’re thrilled that our virtual experience is making a difference for kids and has received top-notch reviews. A survey of school nurses showed that 100% rated our program’s educational value as excellent or good. Pre- and post-test data is also showing an increase in children’s oral health knowledge after viewing our program, and that’s the positive outcome we’re striving for.”

The virtual Land of Smiles experience follows dynamic superhero Captain Super Grin^SM, as he defeats his nemesis, Caz Cavity^SM, with a little help from his sidekicks, Terri Tooth Fairy^SM and Toothpick^SM. Throughout the adventure, students learn the importance of brushing teeth twice a day, flossing, eating healthy foods and visiting the dentist regularly. Delta Dental of Missouri offers free “smile bags” to schools for students who participate in the program. Each bag includes a toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss to help students practice the good oral health habits that they learn. Each school is responsible for distributing the bags to participating students who attend school in person or virtually.

Delta Dental of Missouri is monitoring federal, state and county guidelines to determine when it is safe to resume its in-person Land of Smiles performances at schools. In the meantime, interested teachers, school nurses and principals can visit www.LandofSmilesMO.org to preview the free online program and request access to it on a date and time that works for their students through May of 2021.

Delta Dental of Missouri is the state’s leading dental benefits provider and a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. It provides more than 2.1 million members with access to affordable, high-quality dental care through group plans tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, from large corporations to small businesses with two or more employees. Delta Dental also offers dental benefit plans directly to individuals and families. The company proudly supports oral health initiatives, educational programs and charitable causes that help educate people about the importance of dental health and provide free dental care to those in need. Delta Dental of Missouri also created the Missouri Dental Care Resource Guide to help individuals access information about low-cost and free dental care options in their area—available online at www.DeltaDentalMO.com/ResourceGuide1. To learn more about the company, visit www.DeltaDentalMO.com.