It’s important that all children, regardless of their insurance status, have access to high quality dental care that is close to home and affordable. Greater Family Health is proud fulfill this responsibility by being the premier provider of children’s dental care for Elgin-area children and students of School District U46 and District 300.
Greater Family Health believes that dental health is part of comprehensive health care and we strive to provide the highest quality of care to all our patients. Greater Family Health has been at the forefront addressing gaps in the provision of dental health services in the area since 2001, when Greater Family Health started providing integrated oral health services in partnership with Elgin Community College.
In September of 2007, through a partnership with School District U-46, Greater Family Health began offering oral health services, including prophylaxis, oral health exams and sealants, in multiple schools throughout the District. These efforts paved the way for the opening of our Children’s Dental Clinic in September, 2008 with the support of Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation. Our school-based program has expanded to include elementary schools in School District U46 and District 300. In 2016, Greater Family Health provided school-based dental care to 2,203 students.
In addition to collaborating with the Districts, Greater Family Health is fortunate to have a partnership with Altrusa International Club of Elgin’s “Chews to Read” Literacy Program. Throughout this partnership, children in Greater Family Health’s Dental Clinic have received gift bags from Altrusa members which help reinforce healthy dental habits and healthy reading habits. Altrusa has donated 240 book bags which include Children’s Dental Health Books, Cuddle Animals, reading calendars and book lists. Altrusa also makes monthly gifts of hats, mittens, scarves and socks during the winter months, literacy enrichment materials (puzzles, games, etc.) in the summer months, and school supplies in the fall.
Greater Family Health is also pleased that in 2016 both Federal and Foundation funding was secured to expand our Dental Clinic’s services. As a result of the expansion to be completed in 2017, Greater Family Health’s Dental Clinic will offer 12 operatories, in addition to the already-purchased and implemented portable dental operatories which are presently used in Greater Family Health’s expanded school-based oral health care program for children of the Elgin and Carpentersville areas.
Greater Family Health offers health care services via 25 health care access points, nine of which are full-time Health Centers in Elgin, Hanover Park, McHenry, Streamwood, Sycamore and Wheeling. The organization offers Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynecology, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Dental Care and an array of supportive services. In 2016, Greater Family Health practitioners provided care to over 45,000 patients via more than 155,000 medical and dental visits.
Greater Family Health is accredited by The Joint Commission, indicating compliance with the highest quality standards of health care in the United States, is certified as a Patient Centered/Primary Care Medical Home and provides care regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. The organization is presently recognized as a National Quality Leader, Health Center Quality Leader and Clinical Quality Improver by the Health Resources Services Administration.
