Maryland Foundation of Dentistry

What Maryland Foundation of Dentistry does

The Maryland Foundation of Dentistry (MFD), also operating as MFD, is a Maryland nonprofit organization founded in 1989 and headquartered at 8901 Herrmann Drive in Columbia, Maryland. The foundation coordinates free comprehensive dental care for Maryland adults with developmental, intellectual, and/or physical disabilities who lack insurance or the financial resources to pay for treatment. Services are delivered through three interconnected components: a Patient Care Coordinator–led eligibility screening and application process, a network of volunteer dentists who assess dental needs and provide treatment in their own offices (covering bridges, cleanings, crowns, dentures, cavity fillings, root canals, and tooth extractions), and dental laboratory partnerships that supply dental products at significantly discounted rates with the foundation covering laboratory fees. The foundation explicitly does not provide emergency care, cosmetic services, or dental implants.

MFD operates with a small core staff (1–10 employees) governed by an 11-member Board of Directors comprising officers (President Dr. Janet Yellowitz, Vice President Dr. Tristram Kruger, Treasurer Dr. Edward Chappelle, Secretary Dr. Tamara Leary) and county-level Directors representing Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles, Howard, Frederick, and Anne Arundel Counties. Its revenue model is entirely donation-based: the foundation collects contributions through the Zeffy donation platform, its Legacy of a Smile campaign (organized into named giving circles from $25 to $5,000+), and direct support from funders and partners. There is no proprietary technology platform, no app, and no API; service coordination relies on website-based patient intake, telephone screening, and manual matching of approved patients to volunteer providers. The organization is independently governed, with no parent company, equity ownership, or institutional investors disclosed.

Strategically, MFD is a niche, mission-driven nonprofit operating exclusively within the State of Maryland. Its competitive differentiation rests on 35+ years of continuous operation, an established volunteer dentist and dental laboratory network, and a specialized focus on serving disabled adults — a population with structurally limited access to mainstream dental care. Recent activity includes a $25,000 grant from Qlarant in September 2025, ongoing volunteer and laboratory partner recruitment, and continued operation of the Legacy of a Smile fundraising campaign honoring founder Dr. Murray Sykes.

Name

Maryland Foundation of Dentistry

Legal name

The Maryland Foundation of Dentistry

Website

https://mfd-dds.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Maryland Foundation of Dentistry is a Columbia, Maryland-based nonprofit founded in 1989 that coordinates free comprehensive dental care for Maryland adults with developmental, intellectual, or physical disabilities who lack insurance or financial resources, delivered via a network of volunteer dentists and discounted dental laboratories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Dental Care Services

NAICS

Offices of Dentists (62121)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLABAHAL

Preventive Care for Special Needs & Geriatric Patients

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Dental Care Services/Dental Hygiene & Preventive Services

SECONDARYHLABAHAM

School/Community-Based Preventive Dental Programs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Dental Care Services/Dental Hygiene & Preventive Services

Keywords

• Donated dental services
• Pro bono dental care
• Nonprofit dental foundation
• Dental care for disabilities
• Volunteer dentist network

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is funded entirely through donations from generous supporters, donors, and partners. The foundation receives funding and resources from funders who invest in its mission. Donations are collected via the Zeffy platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Maryland Foundation of Dentistry coordinates free, comprehensive dental care for Maryland adults with developmental, intellectual, and/or physical disabilities who lack insurance or finances to pay for treatment. The foundation does not deliver treatment itself; it screens eligible patients through Patient Care Coordinators and matches them with a volunteer dentist network that provides pro bono services in their own offices, while dental laboratories supply discounted products such as dentures, bridges, and crowns. Services include bridges, cleanings, crowns, dentures, cavity fillings, root canals, and tooth extractions; emergency, cosmetic, and implant services are not offered.

Product overview

The Maryland Foundation of Dentistry operates as a nonprofit offering a single core program: the Donated Dental Services Program. This program coordinates free comprehensive dental care for Maryland adults with developmental, intellectual, and/or physical disabilities who lack insurance or finances. The program consists of three interconnected components: a patient application and screening service (which evaluates eligibility and manages patient compliance), a volunteer dentist network (which delivers the actual dental treatment), and dental laboratory partnership services (which provide discounted dental products like dentures and appliances). The foundation does not offer emergency, cosmetic services, or dental implants. Services include bridges, cleanings, crowns, dentures, cavity fillings, root canals, and tooth extractions. The organization has been restoring oral health since 1989.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Donated Dental Services Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Life-changing and smile-restoring dental care
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dental Laboratories (Unspecified)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDental laboratories that provide dental products at significantly discounted rates. The nonprofit covers these laboratory expenses for patient treatments including bridges, crowns, and dentures.
• Volunteer Dentists (Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of volunteer dentists who provide pro bono dental care to eligible patients. Dentists receive 8 CE credits per renewable cycle and decide which patients to treat. All laboratory fees are donated or covered by the foundation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Special Olympics Special Smiles: Special Olympics Special Smiles provides free dental screenings and care to Special Olympics athletes, many of whom have intellectual disabilities. Comparable because it overlaps with MFD's focus on patients with developmental and intellectual disabilities, although it is event-based and athlete-focused.

Regional players

• Chase Brexton Health Care: Chase Brexton is a Maryland-based federally qualified health center providing integrated medical, dental, and behavioral care to underserved communities. Comparable because it serves similar low-income and disabled populations in Maryland and offers dental services on a sliding-fee basis.
• Maryland Dental Action Coalition: MDAC is a statewide coalition working to improve oral health access for Marylanders, including vulnerable populations. Comparable as a Maryland-based organization focused on dental access, though it operates as an advocacy and education body rather than directly coordinating patient care.
• Mission of Mercy (Maryland/Pennsylvania): Mission of Mercy runs free mobile dental clinics in Maryland and Pennsylvania for low-income residents. Comparable because it serves a similar low-income population in Maryland via volunteer dentists, though it focuses on large event-based clinics rather than individualized disability care coordination.

Direct peers

• Dental Lifeline Network: Dental Lifeline Network operates the national Donated Dental Services (DDS) program, coordinating pro bono dental care for people with disabilities, the elderly, and the medically fragile. It is the closest direct peer as the parent organization that inspired MFD and runs similar state-level DDS programs in other states.
• Remote Area Medical: Remote Area Medical organizes free pop-up clinics delivering dental, vision, and medical care to underserved communities across the U.S. Comparable as a volunteer-driven free dental care provider for low-income and uninsured populations, though at a national event-based scale.
• America's Dentists Care Foundation: ADCF supports volunteer dental events and free clinics serving underserved populations across the U.S. Comparable to MFD because both coordinate donated dental care, although ADCF focuses on large-scale clinic events rather than ongoing patient-dentist matching.

Others

• Health Care for the Homeless: Health Care for the Homeless provides medical, dental, and behavioral health services to people experiencing homelessness in Maryland. Comparable as a Maryland-based nonprofit health provider serving vulnerable populations, with overlapping dental service delivery model.
• National Health Service Corps: The NHSC is a federal program that places dental and medical professionals in underserved communities in exchange for loan repayment. Comparable as an enabler of pro bono and reduced-fee dental access for vulnerable populations, although it operates at federal rather than nonprofit-state scale.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics: NAFC is a national nonprofit association supporting a network of free and charitable clinics that provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services to the underserved. Comparable as an umbrella organization that includes clinics serving similar low-income and uninsured populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maryland Foundation of Dentistry