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I-Smile is a statewide program that connects children and families with dental, medical, and community resources to ensu...

I-Smile is a statewide program that connects children and families with dental, medical, and community resources to ensure a lifetime of health and wellness.

In 2005, the Iowa legislature mandated that all Medicaid-enrolled children age 12 and younger have a designated dental home. In Iowa, a dental home is a network of individualized care, based on risk for dental disease. A dental home includes oral health education; dental screenings; and preventive, diagnostic, treatment, and emergency services. Different health professionals (dentists, dental hygienists, physicians, nurses) and locations (dental offices and clinics, medical offices, public health clinics, WIC clinics, Head Start centers, schools) may be part of the dental home.

I-Smile Coordinators are the point of contact within the dental network, assessing community needs, coordinating dental care, and addressing barriers that prevent access to dental services.

I-Smile Coordinators are responsible for:

  • Developing relationships with dental offices to encourage acceptance of referrals of underserved families needing dental care,
  • Developing partnerships within their community to increase awareness and promote oral health,
  • Linking with local boards of health to address oral health issues affecting county residents,
  • Training medical providers on how to apply fluoride varnish and screen the mouth for disease,
  • Coordinating dental care for families, including assisting families with finding a dental provider, scheduling dental appointments, finding transportation, and payment for dental care,
  • Establishing access to oral screening, fluoride, and sealant applications in public health settings (schools, WIC clinics, Head Start) to prevent disease and lower health care costs, and
  • Educating community members about the importance of community water fluoridation to prevent tooth decay.
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