Ill. passes bill for dental clinics

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has signed into law a bill that creates a process for awarding grants to oral health clinics.

The new law allows grants to be awarded to build infrastructure for the new clinics and clears the way for funding them, according to the Dome website. The clinics are intended to provide services to the poor.

Of 102 Illinois counties, 66 have been designated by the federal government as Dental Health Professions Shortage Areas, according to the Dome.

The dental clinic must be willing to accept out-of-area clients, including emergency services for adults and early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment for children.

The next step is to actually fund the clinics. The Bridge to Healthy Smiles Coalition, a group of Illinois oral health organizations, is asking the General Assembly to pass a three-point legislative plan to bring funding rates to a minimum level that will increase access to dental services. The plan includes the following:

• Increasing funding rates for Medicaid by $94 million
• $2 million to fund 10 dental clinics in 10 underserved Illinois counties
• Dental student incentive programs to attract dentists to underserved areas