ECC joins with Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation to offer free exams, cleanings for kids
Elgin Community College is partnering with Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation to offer free dental exams for children, age 5 or younger. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at Elgin Community College, Building A, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.
The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation launched "Dentist by 1," a statewide program to educate parents and caregivers about the benefits of taking their children to the dentist by age one and to encourage them to schedule a visit. The program also seeks to educate parents and caregivers on how to take care of a child's oral health at home to ensure a lifetime of healthy smiles.
"At Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation, our mission is to improve the oral health of Illinoisans with an emphasis on children," said Lora Vitek, director of philanthropy and community relations for Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation. "Tooth decay is the most prevalent childhood disease, and by the third grade, more than 52 percent of Illinois children have had a cavity. We developed our Dentist by 1 program as a way to combat tooth decay among Illinois children by training oral health providers to help them feel more comfortable treating young children and by teaching parents and caregivers the importance of bringing their child to the dentist by age one. Through our free dental care event on Aug. 27, we hope to not only provide free dental care to children, but to also educate families on how to practice good oral health habits with their children to prevent tooth decay at home."
Students and instructors from ECC's dental assisting program will be on site providing volunteer support throughout the event.
"ECC Dental Assisting is excited to work with Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation again to offer this training to area dentists and their staff," said Kim Plate, director of the dental assisting program. "In addition to me and some of the dental assisting faculty, our students will be volunteering to help run the one-time clinic. The students always appreciate the experience to see firsthand patient treatments and procedures and can bring that with them when they go out into the community to work. ECC has an amazing dental facility and we are eager to help young children in the community to get early dental exams."
The event will include free preventive and diagnostic services, such as exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and X-rays. In addition, preventive education and referral resources will also be offered. Each child will receive an oral health kit with a toothbrush, floss, toothpaste and an instructional sheet for caregivers in English and Spanish.
Appointments must be made by Wednesday, Aug. 24. Dental visits without an appointment will be limited.
To register, visit dentistby1.com/elgin or, in Spanish, at dentistby1.com/illinois/events/spanishregistration/.
ECC's Dental Assisting program offers certificates in dental office aide and preclinical dental assisting with completion in only 16 weeks and offers a built-in career ladder to the longer-term clinical dental assisting certificate. The program is accredited with the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Enrollment is open to students in both the fall and spring semesters.
For information about ECC's Dental Assisting program, visit elgin.edu under "Programs of Study" and "Career/Technical Programs."
About Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation
The Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation was formed in March 2008 by Delta Dental of Illinois, a nonprofit dental service corporation with a mission to improve the oral health of the communities it serves. Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Delta Dental of Illinois and works to support and improve the oral health of people in Illinois. In the past decade, combined efforts of Delta Dental of Illinois and Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation have provided more than $3 million to programs and organizations in Illinois that improve the oral health of the residents of Illinois.