Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s Child & Teen Dental Clinic provides a dental home to children ages 0-18. Services include twice yearly exams and cleanings, fluoride, dental sealants and repair of decayed teeth.

As of May 2023, CUPHD's Child & Teen Dental Clinic is only able to accept new patients who are children age 0-18:

• Who live in Champaign or Urbana
• Have a Medicaid Card
• Are actively enrolled in WIC
• Foster Children who live in Champaign County
• Who were seen at school by CUPHD dental staff through our school dental sealant program

You may print and complete the Patient Registration Packet and bring it to your appointment, along with Photo ID and Insurance Card, English, Spanish, French.

Meet our dentists

School Dental Sealant Program

C-UPHD's School Dental Clinics visit all public schools in Champaign, Savoy, & Urbana to provide school dental exams, cleanings, fluoride & dental sealants. All students with Medicaid, AllKids, or who are uninsured are eligible for a dental exam at school, at no cost to the parent!

Dental sealants can prevent cavities for many years. Applying dental sealants to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth prevent 80% of cavities.

Parents/guardians need to complete a consent form for their child and return it to CUPHD or their child's school. Consent forms are available at our office, on our website, or can be mailed to you by calling 217-531-4279. English, Spanish & French.

View our 2023-2024 schedule of K-12 schools!

For more information, call 217-531-4279.

Public Health Dental Hygienist (PHDH) Certification

In July 2021, C-UPHD’s Registered Dental Hygienists obtained their Public Health Dental Hygienist (PHDH) certification. The PHDH certification allows a Registered Dental Hygienist to treat patients without a dentist first examining the patient. PHDH’s must have 4,000 hours of clinical experience, complete 42 hours of additional continuing education, and pass a comprehensive exam. In addition to the certification, PHDH’s must have a written collaborative agreement with a licensed dentist. To date, our PHDH’s have provided care to more than 300 patients in our clinic and our school-based sealant program. More information about the PHDH certification.

Children’s Oral Health

Cavities (also known as caries or tooth decay) are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood in the United States. Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t.

The good news is that cavities are preventable. Fluoride varnish can prevent about one-third (33%) of cavities in the primary (baby) teeth. Children living in communities with fluoridated tap water have fewer cavities than children whose water is not fluoridated. Similarly, children who brush daily with fluoride toothpaste will have fewer cavities.

Community Dental Resources for people with Medicaid: English, Spanish, French

What Parents & Caregivers Can Do

For Babies

• Wipe gums twice a day with a soft, clean cloth in the morning after the first feeding and right before bed to wipe away bacteria and sugars that can cause cavities.
• When teeth come in, start brushing twice a day with a soft, small‑bristled toothbrush and plain water.
• Visit the dentist by your baby’s first birthday to spot signs of problems early.
• Talk to your dentist or doctor about putting fluoride varnish on your child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth appears.

For children younger than 2, consult first with your doctor or dentist regarding the use of fluoride toothpaste.

For Children

• Brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
• Drink tap water that contains fluoride.
• Ask your child’s dentist to apply dental sealants when appropriate.

If your child is younger than 6, watch them brush. Make sure they use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and always spit it out rather than swallow. Help your child brush until they have good brushing skills.