NOAH Cholla Health Center in Scottsdale will open a Little Free Library with the help of Delta Dental that will hold dozens of books — including several on oral health. 

Delta Dental of Arizona has helped fund NOAH’s three dental clinics since 2013. NOAH provides exams, cleanings, sealants and fluoride varnish, fillings, oral surgery, root canals, crowns and more for Valley patients. 

“NOAH is dedicated to increasing access to care for many of our community’s most vulnerable individuals,” CEO and President Michael Jones said. “We hope this Little Free Library stands as both a symbol of our commitment to supporting their good works as well as a new way to positively impact the lives of local children and families.”

The Little Free Library provides children with a connection to books. The nonprofit that founded the concept said it found children that who don’t have access to books in their homes are on average three years behind children in homes with lots of books. 

“The Little Free Library program helps inspire readers and expand access to educational materials to improve the overall wellness of our communities,” Jake Adams, Southwest Human Development’s Chief Development Officer, said. “Its ‘take a book, return a book’ free exchange will provide children the opportunity to read fun, age-appropriate books at home, which could very well be the only book that child owns.”

Delta Dental of Arizona, along with making Little Free Library happen, has uplifted Southwest Human Development’s Oral Health Program for Children and Families program for years, including a $20,000 grant to purchase supplies. 

“The program provides instruction on the importance of daily and lifelong oral health care, preventive screenings, and the importance of having a dental home,” Adams said. “Through it, Southwest Human Development also partners with dental professionals to bring screenings and varnish treatments to schools and community events to accompany the educational component whenever possible.”

This dedication, which also included Delta Dental team members working together to paint and decorate the library in vivid colors and with child-friendly oral health illustrations, also celebrated the organization’s recent move to Scottsdale.

The new suite features fewer traditional offices and more meeting spaces, from conference rooms to huddle zones, to fit the team members’ varied needs. The design also provides a central hub for gatherings and connections. It is also outfitted with state-of-the-art technology that will make working and sharing information among team members seamless, driving more efficiencies in how we support our customers, members, providers, and brokers. 

For more information, visit deltadentalaz.com or noahhelps.org/health-center-locations/cholla/. To learn about Little Free Library, visit littlefreelibrary.org.