Delta Dental Of Missouri Invests $1 Million In Statewide Youth Dental Sealant Initiative. The Hannibal (MO) Courier-Post (8/8) reported that Delta Dental of Missouri has announced it will “invest $1 million over the next five years” for a new Missouri Dental Sealant Program, which the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will administer. According to the article, “The new Missouri Dental Sealant Program is looking to reach 15,000 high-need children at as many as 268 public schools throughout the state.” The program is set to begin in early 2017. Delta Dental Of Tennessee Donates Vehicles For Dentistry Students. The Memphis (TN) Daily News (8/9) reports that Delta Dental of Tennessee has donated two vehicles for students at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry to use when commuting to and from “the new clinical site in the Healing Hands Health Center” in Bristol, Tennessee. According to the article, Delta Dental’s donation “recognizes the fact that the College of Dentistry continues to expand across the state, and so does the travel required for dentistry students on clinical rotations.” Humana Encourages Preventive Dental Care. In an article on the America’s Health Insurance Plans (8/9) blog, Dean M. Fry, DDS, chief dental officer at Humana, states that the company recognizes “the importance of preventive care” and has “initiatives in place to alert and educate its members who are at risk of developing periodontal disease.” For example, the company sends an alert to members who have not seen a dentist within 12 months, reminding them to schedule a dental visit. HEALTH AND SAFETY Study Finds Oral Health Probiotic May Reduce Pregnancy Gingivitis

Reuters reported that healthcare company Biogaia announced that a study found its oral health probiotic may reduce pregnancy gingivitis. According to Reuters, Biogaia “says a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study in 45 women with pregnancy gingivitis showed that supplementation of L. reuteri Prodentis significantly reduced inflammation and plaque compared to placebo.”