Dentists for the Disabled and Elderly in Need of Treatment

D-DENT Strategic Plan 2019-2022
On October 26, 2018 D-DENT staff and board members met with a strategic planning consultant to review and revise D-DENT’s strategic plan. The growth of the organization’s financial resources and the increasing need for services in a volatile economy were key aspects of the discussion. While the need to maintain the institution’s sound financial footing is essential, it is also essential that donor resources be used to effectively to serve Oklahoma’s most vulnerable clients. Another item of discussion was the growing need for, and desire to provide, services for veterans.
While many organizations are currently in survival mode, D-DENT’s staff and board have made a series of sound financial and programmatic decisions which have allowed them to focus their attention on strategic issues. All present agreed that D-DENT’s future is sound and the organization is positioned for growth. Of course, time and attention must always be paid to operational issues. However, by focusing on a few strategic issues over the next 3-5 years, D-DENT will continue to build an infrastructure that will, if maintained, sustain the organization for decades.
At the end of the strategic planning session, the following goals were approved. The staff were then charged with developing objectives and action plans to make progress towards those goals.
• Goal #1: D-DENT will strengthen its volunteer base of dentists, hygienists and other volunteers to assist in both program delivery and operational functions.
• Goal #2: D-DENT will increase public awareness of its mission and programs.
• Goal #3: D-DENT will strengthen its staff capacity.
• Goal #4: D-DENT will develop a diverse and engaged board.

1. Volunteer Recruitment: D-DENT’s heavy reliance on volunteer dentists and hygienists to provide services is integral to its success. With many of D-DENT’s dentists approaching 25 years of service, the recruitment of young dentists is considered integral to the organization’s growth.
2. Increased Awareness through social media. While well-known and highly respected within its own circles, D-DENT is an unsung hero among the general public. Given the cost effectiveness of technology and the ease of using social media, it is becoming easier to tell D-DENT’s story to a wider audience. This is an essential tool in recruiting donors and volunteers.
3. Increased Staff Capacity: Expand both the functions of staff members as well as the possibility of increasing the number of staff.
4. Diverse and Engaged Board: A diverse and engaged board is essential to the strength of any nonprofit organization. As D-DENT continues to grow and board members retire, the board will undergo a recruitment process that will identify prospective board members which will continue to bring passion and diversity to the board.