This site provides support for the Office of the Lt Governor. For updated info on the Governor, use Governor.illinois.gov.

Office of Governor Pat Quinn

Biography Employment Privacy Notice The ABC's Illinois Up Close and Personal Illinois History Web Site
Community Resources Exploring Illinois I Am A... I Want To... Illinois Carpool Teachers Resource Desk
Blackout Solutions Clean Water Green Solutions Healthy Communities Illinois Carpool Illinois Connect Illinois Main Street Illinois to the World No Pay Raise Operation Homefront Rural Affairs Save Our Eagles Save Our State Parks Service Learning Taxpayer Action Walk Across Illinois
Commentary Events Games Meeting Notices Publications Resources Stories Videos

Lt. Governor Quinn marks 5th annual Healthy Smiles Week in Illinois



CHICAGO - October 9, 2008. Lt. Governor Pat Quinn marked the 5th Annual "Healthy Smiles Week" - an oral health education week that highlights free or reduced-cost dental services available to uninsured children - at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.

"It is important that residents, especially children, maintain proper dental hygiene," Quinn said.  "Tooth decay is the number one chronic illness in children and the leading cause of school absences."

Kindergarten through sixth-grade students from St. Malachy School on the West Side of Chicago received free dental screenings from University of Illinois at Chicago School of Dentistry.  More than 100 students were serviced. 

Illinois requires every public and private school student entering Kindergarten, 2nd and 6th grade receive a dental exam.  Quinn's leadership helped pass the initiative in an effort to increase awareness of oral health needs for Illinois children. 

The policy requires every child to have a dental screening in the same way as a health exam.  Students have to show proof of certain immunizations and tests, including a confirmed dental exam upon starting the school year.   

Quinn was joined by State Representative Dr. David Miller (D-29th) and representatives from UIC: Dr. Eric Gislason, Interim Chancellor; Dr. Bruce Graham, Dean of the College of Dentistry; and Dr. Indru Punwani, Professor and Head of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry.  Dr. Laura Neumann, Senior Vice President of Education/Professional Affairs for the American Dental Association; Randy Grove, Executive Director of the Chicago Dental Society; and Bridgid Miller, Principal of St. Malachy School were also in attendance.

For more information, please visit StandingUpForIllinois.org.