SmileHealthy Awarded $150,000 for Mobile Dental Services

Central Illinois Dental Education and Services has a new name and big news. Now called SmileHealthy, the program recently learned that they are to receive an Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation grant for over $100,000 to take the dental care they provide for children on the road throughout Champaign County. The grant will also be matched with a $50,000 donation from Carle Foundation Hospital.

“I think it is incredible what can be done. Dedicated staff and volunteer dental providers can set up a mobile dental clinic just about anywhere,” said Nancy Greenwalt, SmileHealthy Executive Director. “We are fortunate to have the support of so many in the community to bring dental care to those who would otherwise go without.”

“The Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation grant and Carle Foundation Hospital match will allow us to add more mobile dental care days and to expand the kind of care we can provide. Digital X-ray, portable dental units, chairs and more will allow us to provide most of the procedures available at a typical dentist office. We also look forward to working with Frances Nelson Health Center and other providers to collaborate on ways to provide a more complete care system for children in our community,” she explained.

“Carle Foundation Hospital is pleased to continue to be a part of our community’s solutions to finding ways to provide access to dental services for children and adults. We are thrilled to see this grant money headed for Champaign County. This grant and our matching $50,000 will allow SmileHealthy to extend its reach to many more children whose families cannot afford dental care,” commented James C. Leonard, M.D., president and CEO of The Carle Foundation. “And that’s really something to smile about,” he added.

SmileHealthy provides dental care to over 1,000 children each year at county grades schools, Head Start enrolled children and their families and income eligible county children. SmileHealthy also provides education programs and dental supplies to over 3,000 each year in settings from classrooms to health fairs.

Dental Clinic at Frances Nelson Health Center (PDF, 471k)