Dental Services

Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood illness in the U.S. and the leading cause of school absences.

In April 2007, a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, entitled “Trends in Oral Health Status – United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004,” documented a 4 percent increase in tooth decay in the primary teeth of children aged 2-5 years, from 24 to 28 percent. Moreover, the report reconfirms economic and racial/ethnic disparities in dental health:

• Thirty-one percent of Mexican-American children aged 6-11 years have experienced decay in their permanent teeth compared to 19 percent of non-Hispanic children;

• Twelve percent of children aged 6-11 from families living below the poverty line had untreated tooth decay, compared to 4 percent in families with income above the poverty line.

Although the study primarily discovered improvements in oral health for patients at every age, these findings are of particular concern because more than 90 percent of the IWS patient base is Hispanic, with 61 percent living at or below the poverty line.

Moreover, despite the prevalence and seriousness of childhood dental disease, access to adequate and affordable dental care for low-income families is disappearing across the nation and in the Chicago area. Less than 20 years ago there were three university dental schools operating comprehensive clinics in Chicago; today there is only one.

The bright smiles of the children served by the IWS Dental Clinic tell the story of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago’s dedication to full-service health care and the key role dental care plays in building healthy families. The Clinic, whose director is board-certified in pediatric dentistry, provides a full range of high-quality, culturally competent dental care, including: preventative dental hygiene, restoration, minor oral surgery, and space maintenance. IWS is exceptional in also offering interceptive, as well as comprehensive, orthodontia to low-income and medically underserved children and teens.

To decrease the risk of future dental problems, IWS emphasizes a knowledge of good oral health for patients of any age. The Clinic has instituted the “dental home” concept which is the approved standard of care in the dental profession. Nearly all IWS newborns see the dentist before their first birthday to give parents a healthy start in proper nutrition, feeding and dental care, and expectant mothers are referred for dental exams in the second trimester in line with the known correlation between oral health and low birthweight. IWS is dedicated to developing the right habits and parenting knowledge early on for a lifetime of good oral health.

Last year, the Dental Clinic provided dental care to over 5,000 patients with over 15,600 total patient visits. The number of patient visits has doubled since IWS relocated to Logan Square in April 2005,