Improving the oral health of everyone in our communities, from newborns to seniors, is at the core of HDS Foundation’s mission.

“A healthy smile should last a lifetime, and so much of oral health comes down to prevention,” says Shere Saneishi-Kim, HDS Foundation’s director. “We are committed to breaking down barriers to care, serving both members and nonmembers across our entire community.” 

The HDS Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Hawaii Dental Service, a nonprofit dental service corporation that provides dental-benefit plans and serves over 1 million residents in Hawaiʻi, Guam and Saipan.  

 In 2025, the HDS Foundation awarded more than $2 million in grants to 11 nonprofit partners across the state to support programs that promote oral health education, prevent oral disease, develop the oral health workforce, and increase access to dental care for underserved communities. 

From keiki to kūpuna 

Since poor oral health is linked to other systemic health issues like diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and even cancer, ensuring everyone has access to oral health care is an urgent priority.  

“A routine dental exam can reveal a great deal about our whole-body health,” says Saneishi-Kim. “Catching potential issues early is absolutely key to preventing more complex and costly health conditions down the road.”  

HDS’ Dentist By One program raises awareness among parents and caregivers about scheduling children’s first dental visits before their first birthdays. Last year, the HDS Foundation distributed more than 4,500 educational packets — including infant toothbrushes and pamphlets filled with oral health tips — to new moms at hospitals statewide. 

Seal Away Decay is another preventive program that provides no-cost dental screenings and sealants for older children directly at their schools. In 2025, through a partnership with UH’s Hawaiʻi Keiki: Healthy & Ready to Learn program, more than 2,000 dental screenings were conducted for second and third graders at 89 schools across the state. When needed, dental sealants were also provided on-site. 

“We recognized that no one was providing oral health services in the public schools, so in 2019, we stepped up to create a dental program,” Saneishi-Kim says. “More than 60% of the children screened were found to need sealants – a simple, quick and highly effective treatment that can help prevent future dental problems.”  

The state recently joined in with funding support and the program has now expanded to include oral screenings for kindergarteners.  

The Kupuna Smiles program addresses oral health issues with the senior population by providing hands-on oral health training to caregivers in long-term care homes. The HDS Foundation partners with dental hygienists who provide caregivers with tips, tools and techniques to support oral hygiene, including the use of three-sided toothbrushes for quicker, more thorough cleaning and education on proper denture care. Last year, more than 265 nurses received oral hygiene training through the program. 

Supporting the dental workforce 

The dental profession in Hawaiʻi is experiencing a severe shortage of professionals—especially dental assistants— as reported by the University of Hawai‘i System, with 90% of local employers reporting that hiring is “extremely challenging.” 

Smile Makers is an HDS Foundation workforce development program launched in 2025 to encourage Hawai‘i residents to pursue careers in oral health care. “The goal is to strengthen the local dental workforce pipeline and help address the shortage of dental professionals across the state,” Saneishi-Kim says. 

The HDS Foundation awards scholarships for dental hygiene students at UH Mānoa and UH Maui College, this year providing 14 students with $3,000 each to help with their tuition. 

As Hawai‘i does not have a dental school, future dentists need to go to the mainland for schooling, and the cost can be intimidating. To help local students overcome that financial barrier, the HDS Foundation has a scholarship program for students attending dental school on the mainland. 

This past year, it awarded eight $10,000 dental school scholarships; next year, the foundation will offer 10 scholarships. And it recently started a newsletter for dental students that provides information about jobs and residency opportunities in Hawai‘i. The HDS Foundation also contributes matching funds to the state’s loan repayment program for graduates who return home and serve the Medicaid population.  

“Our goal is to support students throughout their education because we need them to bring their skills back to our community—especially our future dentists,” Saneishi-Kim says. “We are actively working to create meaningful opportunities that welcome them home.” 

Smile Makers also introduces middle and high school students to careers in oral health, helping inspire the next generation of local dental professionals. 

The future of oral health in Hawai‘i 

“Looking ahead, there’s always more we can do to support our communities,” says Saneishi-Kim. “Moving forward, we will review our data to pinpoint the specific islands and populations that need us most, allowing us to effectively prioritize our efforts.” 

Raising awareness about oral cancer will be a primary focus. “When caught early, patients have far more treatment options,” Saneishi-Kim says. She says the prevalence of vaping has heightened the urgency of this message. 

“From keiki to kūpuna, we try to catch them all. The goal is to improve the oral health of everyone in our communities.”