Illinois Lawmakers Push Bill to Overhaul School-Based Dental Care Program (Springfield, IL) – Illinois lawmakers and dental care providers are urging passage of Senate Bill 2797, a proposal aimed at streamlining the state’s school-based dental care system and expanding access to oral health services for children, particularly in underserved communities.
The legislation would modernize the All Kids School-Based Dental Program by creating a single, uniform statewide framework. Supporters say the change is needed to address long-standing administrative challenges that have discouraged dentists from participating, especially in Chicago.
Illinois currently operates two separate school-based dental systems: a statewide program overseen by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and a separate, city-run structure in Chicago. Lawmakers and providers argue that the split has led to confusion, overlapping oversight and increased administrative burdens. As a result, participation by dentists has declined, with the number of providers serving Chicago schools dropping by about half over the past decade.
“For many children, a visit from a school dentist is the only dental care they receive all year,” said State Sen. Julie Morrison, the bill’s sponsor. “Our current system is pushing dentists away. SB 2797 creates fair, uniform rules so more providers can participate and more children can get the care they need.”
School-based dental programs are designed to remove barriers such as transportation challenges, parents needing to take time off work, and difficulties navigating insurance systems. For many low-income families, the programs serve as a primary point of access to dental care.
Dentists who work in Chicago schools, however, face additional layers of contracting requirements, billing risks and city-specific oversight that do not apply elsewhere in the state, according to supporters of the bill.
Dr. Ahmed Ramaha of Universal Dental, who has provided care in schools for years, said the current structure can be discouraging even for experienced providers.
“No dentist objects to high standards,” Ramaha said. “But unclear expectations, duplicative oversight and the risk that small documentation errors can escalate into major consequences make an already complex model even harder. SB 2797 would replace confusion with clarity.”
Under the proposed legislation, Illinois would return to a single statewide framework administered by HFS. The bill would apply uniform standards based on the Dental Office Reference Manual, clarify Medicaid billing rules, require that clinical reviews be conducted by licensed dentists, eliminate duplicative city-specific mandates, and establish transparent guidelines for assigning schools and expanding provider capacity.
Morrison emphasized that the bill is not intended to weaken oversight. “This bill does not lower the bar,” she said. “It keeps standards high while making participation realistic. A well-regulated program with no providers doesn’t help children.”
Supporters argue that declining participation has real consequences for students, including untreated cavities, increased pain and missed school days.
“When dentists leave the program, children pay the price,” Ramaha said. “SB 2797 allows us to focus on kids, not bureaucracy.”
Advocates say the legislation would help refocus the program on its original mission of improving access to quality dental care for children across Illinois.
“Every ZIP code deserves a healthy smile,” Morrison said. “This bill helps make that promise real.”
Illinois Lawmakers Push Bill to Overhaul School-Based Dental Care Program
