Smile Healthy!

Thursday, October 31, 2002

Dental hygienist Lisa Bell said it was on the day she saw a 7-year-old lose three teeth because of untreated decay that she became convinced that something had to change in Champaign County.

“I worked in rural areas, and I saw rampant decay in the mouths of so many young people,” said Bell. “I finally said, ‘This is unacceptable.’ ” Lisa joined the efforts of several community groups already working on the problem who took their message to the Champaign County Board of Health.

The Champaign County Health Department’s Child Dental Access Program is an example of the power of people working together to change a problem in the community. Children from low-income families in Champaign County now have access to free dental care thanks to a community effort that created a solution to the problem of untreated painful tooth decay in hundreds of children.

The Child Dental Access Program was launched in March 2002. Bell, now coordinator of the program, says more than 660 children are enrolled, and are receiving free dental care from 27 private practice dentists who agree to do the work for 50 percent of their customary fees. A $65,000 grant from the Champaign County Board is funding the program this year. “Dentists were happy to participate once there was a framework for them to volunteer their time,” Bell said. Bell works to provide children with whatever dental care they need. Services have included cleanings, fillings, root canals, sealants and orthodontics, and oral health instruction.

The program was the result of work by the Champaign County Community Health Partnership’s Dental Access Working Group, the Friends of Public Health Coalition, Champaign County Health Care Consumers and the Human Services Council of Champaign County. They had all recognized dental access for children as a top priority and took their message to the Champaign County Board of Health.

However, the needs of adults in Champaign County who can’t afford to pay for care are still unmet. It is that problem that the Smile Healthy! campaign will address through radio reporting and support for community efforts to tackle the problem. Bell is optimistic that a solution can be found. “It’s not that people in the community just don’t care. They feel like their hands are tied. They have no options for helping. We need to create those options,” she said.