Stacey Nickens: 615.775.8601 or snickens@mmc.edu

                                                                                                                                                  Janet M. Caldwell: 615.500.0632 or jcaldwell@mmc.edu

September 30, 2011

DELTA DENTAL OF TN GIVES MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE $770K FOR DENTAL SIMULATION CENTER

Nashville, Tenn. --- Delta Dental of Tennessee is funding a new dental simulation center at Meharry Medical College that will provide reality-based training for Meharry’s dental students.

Delta Dental is providing $770,000 for the 3,300-square-foot Delta Dental of Tennessee Simulation Center that will be housed on the fourth floor of Meharry’s School of Dentistry building.

The center will use a multimedia teaching system that incorporates manikins with computer simulators to provide a reality-based experience. This training will shorten the learning curve for students and allow for a smoother transition from training to patient care.

“It is of vital importance that dental students are being trained in environments that best prepare them for working with real life patients,” said Phil Wenk, D.D.S., president and CEO of Delta Dental. “We are proud to be able to help install this simulation center at Meharry so their students have access to such cutting edge technologies and the school has a more competitive edge when recruiting students and faculty.”

Construction of the dental simulation lab will begin immediately. The lab is expected to be open for training by Jan. 2012.

“Delta Dental of Tennessee is a true example of a good corporate citizen,” said Dr. Wayne Riley. “Delta Dental has contributed greatly to the dental community over the years and they have proven their dedication to improving the oral health of all Tennesseans as well as the facilities for training our future dentists. We are proud to be on the receiving end of their tremendous generosity.”

Delta Dental is a key supporter of dental education in Tennessee. The organization recently donated $1.5 million to the University Of Tennessee College Of Dentistry for upgrades to the school’s simulation laboratory. Since 1998, Delta Dental has contributed nearly $5 million to the UT College of Dentistry.

In 2009, Delta Dental presented Meharry with a $780,233 contribution for the Delta Dental Oral Diagnostic and Imaging Clinic, which allows students to use digital radiography and provide the best diagnostic procedures for patients. Delta Dental’s total contributions to Meharry Medical College exceed $1.5 million.

About Delta Dental of Tennessee: Delta Dental of Tennessee, along with its affiliates in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Ohio, is among the largest dental plan administrators in the nation. Collectively, in 2010, the enterprise paid out more than $2 billion for dental care for nearly 8 million enrollees. In its latest customer survey, Delta Dental of Tennessee achieved 97.1 and 99.7 percent satisfaction from its members and groups respectively. Offices are located in Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, Tenn.

About Meharry Medical College: Meharry Medical College founded in 1876, is the nation’s largest private, independent historically black academic health center dedicated to educating minority and other health professionals. True to its heritage, it is a United Methodist Church affiliated institution. The College is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; emerging preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation’s health professions workforce. Diverse Issues in Higher Education’s ranking of institutions annually lists Meharry as a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences. Visit www.mmc.edu to learn more.