Smile Healthy! Improving Dental Access and Oral Health in Champaign County

Urbana, IL, 2002

In May 2000, the U.S. Surgeon General's office issued its first report on oral health and found that there are profound and rarely noticed disparities in care that amount to “a silent epidemic of oral diseases” among the nation's poor, members of minority groups, the elderly and children. Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC), a local grassroots citizen action organization, reported that 50 percent of calls to its hotline are about access to affordable dental care. They also reported that this includes Medicaid beneficiaries, whose only option for receiving dental care is a single dental clinic with a waiting list 800 patients long.

WILL-AM, CCHCC and WBCP-AM educated the community about this lack of access to affordable dental care as well as other oral health issues, and enhanced efforts to create systemic change and stimulate communitywide discussion. The organizations involved those most affected by the problem and mobilized people to participate in an established community organizing effort.

WILL and WBCP produced a 24-part radio series, live call-in programs, public service announcements and a 30-minute documentary about the outcome of the community effort to solve the problem. Their websites feature program audio, transcripts, resource links, and a resource guide.

Since 1922, WILL-AM 580's radio prgramming has informed, entertained and drawn people into the public affairs of the places they live and work. WBCP is the only minority-owned-and-operated radio station in east central Illinois and has significantly enhanced efforts to reach African-American audiences.

CCHCC is a grassroots citizen action organization founded in 1977 that has worked to increase the influence of people traditionally excluded from the decision-making process. They identified guests and topics, and organized workshops and a dental health fair that kicked off Smile Healthy!

Contact Information

WILL-AM
Tom Rogers, News Director
Tel: 217-244-2614

Champaign County Health Care Consumers
Claudia Lennhoff, Executive Director
Tel: 217-352-6533

WBCP-AM
Ray Coates, Jr., Program Host
Tel: 217-359-1580

Awards:

WILL Round Three
Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, Best News Series
— Radio & TV News Directors Association

Additional Funding
$1,800 in donated time to design the project website
— a local company