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About IDPH

Oral Health

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Good oral health is essential to overall well-being and goes beyond having healthy teeth. It includes the entire mouth: teeth, gums, palate, mouth and throat linings, tongue, lips, salivary glands, chewing muscles, and jaws.

Good oral health means being free from tooth decay, gum disease, chronic oral pain, oral cancer, congenital disabilities like cleft lip and palate, and other conditions affecting the mouth and throat. It also includes confidently performing essential functions like chewing, swallowing, speaking, smiling, kissing, and singing.

Since the mouth is a vital part of the body, oral health is closely connected to overall health. For example, oral infections like gum disease can increase the risk of heart disease, premature delivery in pregnant women, and complications in managing diabetes. Additionally, changes in the mouth are often early indicators of other health issues, such as infectious diseases, immune disorders, nutritional deficiencies, and cancer.

Maintaining good oral health is essential for overall well-being. Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and visit a dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups. Consistency is key—taking care of your teeth and gums daily will lead to long-term health benefits.

Division of Oral Health

Assessment

Educate, Empower, Monitor, Analyze and Investigate

  • Assess oral health status and implement an oral health surveillance system
  • Analyze and overcome oral health hazards
  • Understand public perceptions and respond with education/empowerment

Assurance

Enforce Laws, Link To/Provide Care, Workforce, Evaluate & Research

  • Collaborate, develop partnerships for best use of resources and advocacy
  • Develop systemic plans and policies that improve oral health issues
  • Mobilize collaborations for integrated health outcomes

Policy

Inform, Mobilize Community, Partnership & Develop Policies

  • Support and develop laws, guidelines, and education systems for optimal workforce
  • Evaluate programs for quality, appropriateness and accessibility for personal and population-based impact
  • Evaluate innovations and implement for best community oral health outcomes

Mission

The Division of Oral Health (DOH) supports IDPH’s mission by assuring that the people of Illinois have access to population-based interventions that prevent and reduce oral disease and promote oral health as integral to health and as part of organized community health efforts.

Vision

It is the vision of the DOH to create a responsive, sustainable oral health system to promote improvements in oral health for Illinois residents of all ages. 

DOH’s oral health programs focus on community water fluoridation, dental sealants, early childhood oral health, oral cancer, tobacco, craniofacial anomalies, orofacial injuries, school-based oral health programs, and a variety of educational programs designed to meet the oral health needs of disparate population groups in Illinois.  Surveillance, policy development, coalition building, oral health infrastructure, technical assistance, education/awareness and access to oral health care are strong components of the division’s programs.

Division of Oral Health Programs

Craniofacial Anomaly Program

Community Water Fluoridation

Oral Health Workforce

Oral Health Needs Assessment Program

School-based Oral Health

Contact us:

Illinois Department of Public Health-Division of Oral Health

535 W. Jefferson

Springfield, IL 62761

DPH.oralhealth@Illinois.gov

217.785.4899

800.547.4899 TTY (hearing impaired)

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