Smile and the whole world smiles with you.
Eagle View Community Health System, in partnership with Western Illinois University, hosted a mobile dental clinic for students on the WIU-Macomb campus Sept. 16. According to Anthropology Professor Heather McIlvaine-Newsad, who, along with Health Sciences Associate Professor Maureen Bezold, coordinated the visit, the mobile unit to bring dental care directly to students to provide a convenient way to access services without traveling to a fixed clinic location. The clinic saw 10 patients on Wednesday. The effort was facilitated with help from the McDonough County Health Department and its director, Chris Adams.
“Both Maureen and I are inspired by the late medical anthropologist, Dr. Paul Farmer. He was a physician and global health pioneer, who believed that ‘the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that’s wrong with the world.’ Bringing this mobile dental clinic to campus reflects that same belief in action — access isn’t a convenience, it’s the difference between care that exists and care that actually reaches people,” McIlvaine-Newsad shared. “That’s the standard we want WIU students to carry forward, whatever field they enter.
Additional mobile dental clinic dates are planned for the future.
“We’d also like to extend our appreciation to Chris Adams and the McDonough County Health Department for their support,” she added.
About Eagle View
Eagle View accepts Illinois and Iowa Medicaid and participates with many dental insurance plans, though dental benefits vary by plan. For patients without adequate coverage, Eagle View also offers a Sliding Fee Discount Program, which reduces the cost of care based on household size and income. Discounts may be available regardless of insurance status. Patients interested in the sliding fee program can ask for an application at the time of the visit; approval is based on Federal Poverty Guidelines and proof of household income, and typically remains valid for 12 months.
For more information, contact Eagle View Community Health at (309) 9242414.
