Banner Health, one of the nation’s largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, and Delta Dental of Arizona have joined forces in an innovative dental health initiative to help dentists prioritize dignity, access and quality care to support patients and families facing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
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Reflecting a shared commitment to improving specialized health care delivery across Arizona, central to this initiative is the expansion of Banner’s Dementia ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Program, a guided learning model connecting health care professionals with dementia specialists. In partnership with Delta Dental, free interactive workshops equip dental providers with practical, research-backed strategies from expert mentors — covering topics such as the link between oral health and dementia, dental care strategies, and communication and behavior techniques. Participants also can present real patient cases and receive personalized guidance from a multidisciplinary expert team.
“This partnership exemplifies how mission-aligned community leadership can address a true gap in dental care,” said Lori Nisson, Family and Community Services director at Banner Alzheimer’s. “By combining clinical expertise with real-world, case-based learning, we’re empowering local dental care providers with the tools and confidence needed to treat people living with dementia with high-quality, compassionate care. At the same time, this collaborative approach helps drive meaningful improvements across the broader health care community.”
As the number of people living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias continues to grow alongside an aging population, early detection and thoughtful, specialized care have become increasingly important community needs. Recognizing that oral health is deeply connected to overall physical and brain health, the partnership expands Banner Alzheimer’s Institute’s dementia expertise beyond traditional clinical settings to offer practical, research-backed training to dental providers across Arizona.
This initiative builds on a growing collaboration between Banner and Delta Dental of Arizona, which includes the Hospital Oral Care and Periodontal Disease Education (HOPE) program — an oral health protocol now active across 28 Banner acute-care facilities in six states. Together, these efforts reflect a shared belief that integrating dental and medical care leads to better outcomes for patients, particularly those in vulnerable populations.
“Earlier this year, the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation selected Banner Alzheimer’s Foundation as the first-ever recipient of our Innovation Grant, a two-year, $100,000 investment created specifically to help bring unique ideas with the potential for real-world impact to life,” said Barb Kozuh, executive director of the Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation. “Expanding the ECHO program to dental professionals is exactly that type of innovation, helping providers build the knowledge and confidence to better care for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias while increasing access to compassionate, informed dental care for Arizona patients and families.”
Two workshops sponsored by Delta Dental will be available free for dental professionals from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Sept. 25 at Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, and Oct. 2 at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa. For more information, email BAIECHO@bannerhealth.com or visit www.bannerhealth.com/calendar and search “dental.”
