Meeting Oral Health Care Need in Chicago - Making a Difference Radio

Oral health care is the last frontier of community-based health care, and the greatest unmet health need in Chicago’s low-income communities. To better position community-based oral health care providers within Chicago’s oral health care system, the Chicago Community Oral Health Forum (CCOHF) was formed, housed within Heartland Health Outreach and funded by the Otho S. A. Sprague Institute. Since July 2008, CCOHF has brought over 125 stakeholders representing nearly 70 organizations to work collaboratively to increase awareness, improve access to services, provide technical assistance, share best practices, support efficiencies in existing and expand the oral health infrastructure in Chicago. Barbara will be joined by Anne Clancey, Project Director for CCOHF, to discuss the outcomes of this work, the current state of dental health among Chicago’s third graders and some strategies to improve their oral health status.