U.S. Senator Dick Durbin visited Chestnut Family Dental in Bloomington this week to tour the clinic and highlight the urgent need to expand access to oral health care across Illinois. Part of Chestnut Health Systems, the clinic is a critical Medicaid provider of dental care in the Bloomington area.

Durbin used the visit to draw attention to a statewide shortage of dentists who accept Medicaid. Fewer than one in four dentists in Illinois routinely accept it, even as 3.4 million Illinoisans rely on the program—leaving patients facing lengthy waitlists for both urgent and preventive care. “Anyone who has ever experienced the pain of a toothache knows that oral health care is not a luxury. It is essential,” Durbin said, praising Chestnut as one of the clinics helping to expand access to quality, affordable care.

Chestnut’s leaders welcomed the opportunity to share their work. “We were honored to host Senator Durbin and share both the impact Chestnut Family Dental is making and the real barriers many in our community still face,” said Puneet Leekha, CEO of Chestnut Health Systems. “Expanding access to quality, patient-centered dental care remains critical, and we’re proud to be part of that solution.”

Chestnut Health Systems is a valued client of Conlon Public Strategies, and we are proud to support their vital work expanding access to quality dental and integrated health care for the communities they serve.

Read the full story at RiverBender.com.