Take Care Utah, Big Smiles Utah partner to improve dental care access

Take Care Utah (TCU), a program of Utah Health Policy Project, and Big Smiles Utah, an in-school dental program, are partnering to improve access to dental care for children who need it most.

TCU’s focus is helping Utahns access health insurance coverage and navigate the health care system, while Big Smiles Utah provides in-school dental services, primarily to those children covered by Medicaid/CHIP. This creates a natural synergy as both organizations are working toward improving the overall health and well-being of underserved Utah residents.

“By working in collaboration, TCU can help Utahns enroll in health insurance so children can get dental care with no out of pocket cost through the Big Smiles program in their local schools,” said Matt Slonaker, executive director, Utah Health Policy Project. “Together, we aim to empower individuals to take charge of their overall well-being, recognizing that oral health is a fundamental component of a healthy life.”

Big Smiles works with schools to coordinate days when the dental team can visit the school and set up its mobile dental clinic. Comprehensive dental care is provided right at school, making it easy and convenient for parents. Parents do not have to arrange transportation or take time off work to take their child to the dentist when care is provided through the in-school program. Additionally, the service is at no cost to parents when the child is covered by Medicaid/CHIP.

“Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in the United States, but it’s preventable,” said Steve Higginbotham, CEO, Smile America Partners, the dental service organization that administers Big Smiles. “By partnering with Take Care Utah, we anticipate a substantial increase in the number of children in need who will receive proper oral health care.”

Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning. According to the CDC, children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t.

Individuals or families needing assistance enrolling in Medicaid or CHIP or navigating Marketplace insurance can call a TCU Health Access Assister at 801.513.2676 or make an appointment online at TakeCareUtah.org.

Take Care Utah (TCU), a program of Utah Health Policy Project, is non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating access to health insurance coverage and guiding Utahns through the complexities of the health care system. TCU is home to a dedicated team of over 30 Health Access Assisters (HAA) and two Linkage Coordinators, who can provide services throughout the state. They provide assistance with enrollment and understanding health insurance coverage, as well as accessing health care services. TCU offers application assistance in multiple languages for Medicaid, CHIP and Marketplace. It provides comprehensive case management throughout the eligibility process, offers expert guidance in selecting health plans, furnishes insurance literacy education post-enrollment to ensure seamless benefit utilization, and extends ongoing assistance with renewals or reviews to sustain uninterrupted coverage. Learn more at TakeCareUtah.org.

Headquartered in Farmington Hills, Mich., with administrative offices in Arizona and Georgia, Smile America Partners is the world’s leading Dental Service Organization (DSO) specializing in portable and mobile dentistry. Its mission is to bring smiles and good oral health to where they are needed. Working with dental practice partners they bring the care to the need to more than 500,000 underserved children at schools in 19 states across America under the brand names Big Smiles, Smile Programs … the mobile dentists, Smile New York Outreach and Help A Child Smile. It also operates two dental practices: Shurett Dental Group in Conyers, GA and Smile New York Dental in The Bronx. Learn more about Big Smiles at BigSmilesDental.org.