Founded in 2003, Save a Smile is an innovative, nationally recognized, collaborative program. We provide thorough preventive and restorative dental care for children from low-income families with the help of volunteer dentists. As a program that's led by Cook Children's, Save a Smile is guided by the same Promise: to improve the health status of every child in our region through the prevention and treatment of illness, disease and injury.
The school-based grassroots approach of the program includes a social service model and is the key component to connecting children to the care they need.
Children eligible for the program are at high risk for dental disease and are from elementary schools pre-selected by Save a Smile and participating school districts.
The Problem
Child oral health is achieved through proper preventive care and prompt treatment for dental problems for both children and pregnant women. Children with untreated dental problems may have difficulty with pain, eating, self-esteem or school attendance. In more severe cases, children need emergency care, hospitalization or surgical procedures. According to Cook Children’s most recent community health needs assessment:
- One in 7 children ages 1–17 (175,000 children) did not receive all needed dental care. This rate is nearly 9 times higher than the national estimates and 5 times higher than state estimates before the pandemic. Contributing factors were the COVID-19 pandemic, inadequate insurance to cover costs, and limited services in a family’s area.
- One in 6 children (206,000 children) did not have a preventive dental visit, which was most common with children 5 years or younger, children of color, or children from low-income families.
- Three in 10 school-age children (257,000 children) do not have excellent or very good oral health, and these children are twice as likely to miss school due to dental problems.
Program Overview
Children receive dental screenings (limited oral evaluations) once a year by licensed volunteer dentists to identify those with current or potential dental problems. Depending on the severity of the problem, age of the child, translation requirements and financial/insurance status, a referral is made to the appropriate volunteer dental provider.
Dental care is given in the dentists' private offices, free of charge to the families. Children with CHIP or Medicaid are connected with a Medicaid/CHIP provider selected through their coverage.
