The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Gies Foundation has awarded the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation Geriatrics and Special Needs Clinic in the University of Iowa College of Dentistry the 2022 William J. Gies Award in the category of Achievement as an Academic Dental Institution.

Founded in 2007, Gies Award encourages new ideas and opportunities while promoting innovation and achievement within the field. The award will be presented at a ceremony on March 21.

Presented to programs that achieve socially commendable actions that make a substantial contribution to oral health and dental education, the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation Geriatrics and Special Needs Clinic has long been considered a leader in geriatric dental care.

The clinic aims to provide easily assessable dental care for older adults and for mentally, physically, and medically complex patients older than 18.

What began with a single faculty member has grown into a large clinical program that includes a mobile unit with portable dental equipment that serves numerous local nursing homes.

In 2017, the college increased its level of care for elderly patients by adding a nurse practitioner and social worker to the team, an effort to provide more accessible and thorough health checkups for older patients. In 2018, the program received Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation’s first major gift of $1.5 million to renovate and expand access within the clinic.

The ADEA Gies Foundation supports and promotes innovative and future-ready oral health initiatives that advance dental education and elevate the profession. The foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of the ADEA.