Two years ago, the Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation announced a multi-year commitment of more than $1 million to the University of Louisville School of Dentistry (ULSD). The gift includes support for the school’s Compassionate Care Program – which helps patients get care they would not be able to afford otherwise – as well as support for ULSD dental practices in locations such as Louisville, Paducah, and Shelbyville.

At one of those practices, which is located on the campus of Home of the Innocents in Louisville, the Foundation’s gifts have made a direct impact on the quality and comfort of care for thousands of children, including those with special needs.

The dental care practice in the Hockensmith Pediatric Assessment Center opened in 2011 and has been operated by ULSD since 2021. It serves approximately 5,000 patients each year, including people who receive services at Home of the Innocents and the general public.  

“The Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation’s generosity has been a huge help to us,” says practice supervisor Tiffany Sosnowski. “We are able to serve more patients and provide a truly patient-centered environment.”

Since 2022, practice enhancements funded by the Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation include:

• Purchase of more than a dozen high-speed handpieces (drills) in sizes appropriate for a wide range of children from infants to teens, as well as dental instruments specially designed for children and people with disabilities
• Purchase of new X-ray units for four treatment rooms, which allows for faster, more convenient, and more comfortable digital imaging
• Installation of additional sterilization equipment, which increases capacity for patient care

In 2024, the practice will use funds from the Delta Dental Foundation of Kentucky Foundation and the WHAS Crusade for Children to purchase a minimally invasive dental laser system called the Waterlase iPlus. This system offers several advantages over a traditional dental drill, such as:

• Causing less pain in some instances, reducing the need for anesthesia
• Reducing anxiety in patients uncomfortable with the use of the dental drill
• Minimizing bleeding and swelling during soft tissue treatments

“Some of the kids we treat have either never been to a dentist in their life or have had some very traumatic experiences,” says Sosnowski. “Equipment like this helps to lessen their fears.”

Since 2015, the Foundation has donated more than $20 million to various projects and non-profit organizations in Kentucky. For more information about the impact of these gifts, go to deltadentalky.com/giving-back.

January 31, 2024