Illinois Health Department Hosts Oral Health Summit

State Health Department Hosts Oral Health Summit

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today hosted an oral health summit with stakeholders from around the state to strategize on improving oral health for Illinoisans. “Oral Health Plan III: Assuring an Agenda for Action,” held in conjunction with the state’s IFLOSS Coalition of oral health advocates, was held at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

The summit was the culmination of an oral health “listening tour” hosted by IDPH in March that made four stops statewide and engaged the public on better access to oral health in their communities.

“Our goal is to engage key partners with a stake in improving oral health statewide, and to solicit and build upon community input to develop a framework of priority issues for action planning,” said Dr. David Miller, IDPH Division of Oral Health Chief and a dentist.

Participants split into breakout sessions that focused on topics ranging from “oral health literacy” to effective coverage and financing of dental care.

The two previous Illinois Oral Health Plans, developed in 2002 and 2007, included a directive to create partnerships to promote oral health and prevent disease. Today’s summit was designed to build upon those strategies for the creation of the Illinois Oral Health Plan III, which is scheduled to be finalized this summer.