VCU School of Dentistry and Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation announce largest cash gift in school history

By Vernon Freeman
School of Dentistry

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry announced a historic $5 million dollar gift from the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation, marking the largest contribution in the organization's history and the largest cash donation ever received by the school. Dedicated to the construction of VCU's new dental school building, this transformational investment will expand clinical capacity, enhance training for future dentists and strengthen patient care for generations to come.

To celebrate the moment, VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., joined Jeff Johnson, D.M.D., Ed.D., interim dean of the School of Dentistry; Frank Lucia, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Virginia and chair of the foundation; and Virginia Sen. Todd Pillion for a celebratory check presentation today.

"As Virginia's only dental school and primary safety-net clinic, VCU is proud to lead a purpose to extend care to every region of the commonwealth," Rao said. "Collaborations with community clinics and dedicated volunteer missions in rural regions, like Southwest Virginia and so many others, help to ensure essential, compassionate care that reaches communities where access is most limited. This historic gift from the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation strengthens our shared commitment to provide all Virginians with the high-quality care they deserve."

Johnson said VCU was honored to recognize the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation for its extraordinary generosity and vision.

"This gift is a transformational investment in our students, our faculty and staff, and the patients we serve," he said. "Today's celebration is more than a check presentation - it is a moment of gratitude, partnership and shared purpose. We are deeply grateful for the leadership that made this moment possible, and we look forward to the lasting impact this gift will have on our school and the communities we serve, advancing our mission for years to come."

The gift advances a once-in-a-generation project that will reshape dental education and patient care in Virginia. With state funding already approved for construction of the new VCU School of Dentistry building, the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation's contribution reinforces its long-standing partnership with the school and provides critical support for a facility designed to improve access to care, strengthen the health care workforce and serve communities across the commonwealth.

"We know that oral health is essential to overall health and expanding access to dental care begins with a strong, well-supported workforce," Lucia said. "Virginia's current shortage of oral health professionals requires lasting, collaborative solutions. This gift reflects our confidence in VCU School of Dentistry's ability to educate the next generation and help ensure that more Virginians, in every community, can access the quality oral health care they deserve."

As the only dental school in Virginia and the state's primary dental safety-net clinic - accommodating more than 100,000 patient visits each year - the School of Dentistry plays a vital role in providing comprehensive care, including services for adults with special needs and Virginians insured by Medicaid. This investment strengthens that mission, enabling increased patient capacity, enhanced clinical innovation and a world-class environment for students, faculty and staff.

"There are unique community collaborations developing in every region of the commonwealth with the common goal of curbing the oral health workforce crisis that we are currently facing," said Polly Raible, executive director of the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation. "Those partnerships, combined with historic investments to expand educational capacity and career pathways into dentistry, will have a lasting impact on generations of Virginia residents."