ALTON —Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation on Monday joined the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion and opening of the school’s state-of-the-art Advanced Care Clinic.
The 17,390 square foot, $11.5 million Advanced Care Clinic will provide both clinical education and patient care beginning this fall.
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The new facility includes two medical operating suites that will allow dental staff and students to treat some of the state’s most vulnerable children who need oral health procedures that require general anesthesia. The clinic will offer affordable dental care for thousands of children and families who might otherwise not receive treatment.
Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation is a longtime supporter of the SIU School of Dental Medicine, donating $1 million to the school in 2018 to help serve hundreds of additional southern Illinois children with complex dental care needs.
“Every child in Illinois deserves a healthy smile and good oral health,” said Lora Vitek, executive director of Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation. “Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation proudly supports the SIU School of Dental Medicine in expanding much-needed dental care to some of the state’s most vulnerable children here in southern Illinois. We are thrilled to celebrate the opening of the new Advanced Care Clinic in Alton.”
Tooth decay, while largely preventable, remains the most common childhood disease in the U.S., disproportionally affecting children who are racial minorities, are from low-income families or have special health care needs. The 2016 Oral Health in Illinois Report found that 1 in 3 Illinois children in rural areas have untreated tooth decay, and Illinois children from low-income families are five times more likely to have fair or poor oral health.
About Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation
The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation was formed in March 2008 by Delta Dental of Illinois, a not-for-profit dental service corporation with a mission to improve overall health and well-being. Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Delta Dental of Illinois. In the past decade, combined efforts of Delta Dental of Illinois and Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation have provided more than $15 million to programs and organizations in Illinois that improve the oral health of the state’s residents. For additional information about Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation, visit deltadentalil.com/ddilfoundation.
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