Ronald McDonald House Charities Joins Oral Health America in Combating Children’s Oral Disease

September 15, 2004

CHICAGO—Oral Health America (OHA) is the recipient of a one-year grant from Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in support of Smiles Across America school-based oral health services in five locations across the country. The $95,000 award will fund oral health services and supplies for uninsured children in Chicago; Las Vegas; Santa Clara County, CA; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; and in the state of Maine.

"We are thrilled to be the recipients of a competitive award from Ronald McDonald House Charities, whose Board of Trustees has recognized the critical need for school-based oral health services,” said Robert Klaus, President and CEO of Oral Health America. “We see this as a tremendous opportunty to engage community leaders in an on-going effort to improve the health and quality of life of children at risk for untreated oral disease.”

The grant builds on OHA’s efforts to expand school-based services in Chicago, in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which launched an oral health program in 2000. Last spring, the CDPH/CPS program was expanded to 15 new schools, reaching 1,018 second and sixth graders with oral exams, fluoride treatments, cleanings and dental sealants. Many of the children treated had never been seen by a dentist.

In addition, OHA will collaborate with Smiles Across America partners in four new sites to leverage local resources and expand school-based oral health activities. The majority of the grant will go directly to the provision of disease prevention services to uninsured, low-income children without routine access to oral health care.

In addressing oral health disparities among children, OHA finds that lack of insurance among low-income families is a major stumbling block to care, and to the expansion of school-based services. By collaborating with a host of local partners, OHA seeks to raise awareness of unmet need, leverage local funding, and trigger Medicaid enrollment activities in each site.

Oral Health America is the nation’s premier, independent advocacy organization devoted to oral health. Smiles Across America is a national oral disease prevention, oral health promotion program launched by OHA in 2002. For more information, visit OHA on the web at oralhealthamerica.org.

CONTACT

Elizabeth Rogers, (312) 836-9900

Oral Health America is the only national, independent 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to improving oral health for all Americans