9th Annual Oral Health Conference Convenes in Springfield

IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck to keynote

SPRINGFIELD – Oral health practitioners and advocates statewide are gathering in Springfield today for the 9th annual Illinois Oral Health Conference, sponsored by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the IFLOSS Coalition. IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck is the keynote speaker for the two-day conference, which will focus on how best to provide oral health care needs to Illinois residents.

“I’m honored to be the keynote speaker for this year’s Illinois Oral Health Conference,” Dr. Hasbrouck said. “Bringing awareness on the importance of oral health as an overall component of good health is part of our mission at IDPH.”

The state’s updated oral health plan, “Healthy People, Healthy Smiles”, will also be presented during the conference. The Illinois Oral Health Plan III consists of reports from a statewide oral health “listening tour” held earlier this year.

“There is still a great need to convey the message that teeth are meant to last a lifetime,” said Dr. David Miller, IDPH division of oral health chief, and a dentist. “The latest oral health plan will provide a road map on statewide oral health services, and look toward the future of oral health in Illinois.”

Other topics to be covered during the conference, being held at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield, include sessions on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on oral health access, and the impact of sugar sweetened beverages on oral health.

IDPH is co-sponsoring the conference with the IFLOSS Coalition, a public-private partnership of professional organizations, health departments and oral health professionals and advocates founded in 1998 to improve oral health through advocacy and education in Illinois.