Delta Dental Launched Missouri Care Program

A new pilot program provides dental services to uninsured Missourians while supporting clinical dental education.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Scholarships

Bold vector editorial illustration of a dental mirror and an explorer tool on a tray, representing community dental health and clinical training. — Delta Dental of Missouri has launched the PACT program, a pilot initiative designed to expand dental care access for uninsured residents while providing students with clinical training. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Delta Dental of Missouri has launched the Partnering for Access to Care and Training (PACT) program to expand dental care for uninsured residents. The initiative pairs students with patients while providing funding to state dental schools.

Why it matters

The program addresses the significant health challenge of limited dental access in Missouri, where over 1.7 million residents live in professional shortage areas. It simultaneously offers students hands-on experience through community-based dentistry.

Delta Dental awarded $25,000 grants to two dental schools to subsidize patient procedures. More than 1.7 million Missourians currently reside in designated dental professional shortage areas.

The players

Delta Dental of Missouri

This organization is a dental benefits provider that operates in the state and initiated the PACT pilot program.

University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry

This academic institution is one of the recipients of a $25,000 grant to support clinical training and patient care.

Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine

This medical school received grant funding to help subsidize student-delivered procedures for uninsured patients.

Saint Louis University's Center for Advanced Dental Education

This center serves as a partner in the pilot program to enhance community-based dentistry training.

A.T. Still University Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health

This university is part of the partnership network providing hands-on clinical experience for students.

The details

The PACT program facilitates partnerships between dental students and patients, with grant funds covering the costs of procedures that would otherwise go unreimbursed. Participants receive mentorship through clinical showcases and community-based programming.

Delta Dental of Missouri launched the PACT pilot program on September 22, 2026.

Culture Shift

This program marks a departure from traditional outreach by integrating dental education directly into the state's clinical safety net. It reflects a growing trend of private-academic partnerships designed to mitigate long-term systemic healthcare shortages.

Uninsured and underinsured Missourians may now have improved access to dental procedures performed by supervised students at participating schools. Residents in identified shortage areas can reach out to these institutions to inquire about eligibility for low-cost or subsidized care.

The takeaway

The PACT pilot creates a sustainable model where student training directly alleviates the burden of unreimbursed care. Residents in need of dental services should contact the mentioned partner schools to confirm clinical availability and patient intake requirements.