Press Release
For more information about Erie Family Health Center, please contact Valerie Comprelli at 312.432.7463 or vcomprelli@eriefamilyhealth.org
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Chicago Department of Public Health’s Mary Pat Burgess
Honored at Golden Toothbrush Awards Event
May 27, 2009
On May 14, 2009, Erie Family Health Center honored Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Chicago Department of Public Health’s Director of School-based Oral Health, Mary Pat Burgess at the First Annual Golden Toothbrush Awards Luncheon. The Golden Toothbrush Awards is Chicago’s first fundraiser for community oral health and raised over $145,000 for Erie’s Oral Health Program. The event, generously sponsored by UnitedHealthcare, aimed to raise awareness around the oral health care crisis.
Dr. Lee Francis, Erie President; Representative Cynthia Soto, Legislator; Mary Pat Burgess, Award Winner; Alfonso Gutierrez, Telemundo; Michael Cole, UnitedHealthcare
Everyone knows that our country is experiencing a “health care crisis,” as the numbers of uninsured Americans increases every day. But few people are aware of the oral health crisis—a widespread problem that often gets overlooked. That is why Erie decided to hold this event. Thousands of children and working adults are living with painful toothaches, cavities and other dental problems that can lead to missed days of school and work, and other medical complications. Poor oral health leads to medical challenges such as pre-term labor for pregnant women, low birth weight, poor sugar control in diabetes, and possibly, heart disease. These conditions disproportionately affect the most vulnerable – those who are uninsured or underinsured and living in communities where there are few dentists who accept Medicaid or offer discounted fees for uninsured families.
Nearly 300 corporate, civic and community leaders attended the First Annual Golden Toothbrush Awards Luncheon at Chicago’s historic University Club. Among those leaders was Illinois State Representative Cynthia Soto of the 4th District, who served as the event Honorary Chair. Erie presented two awards at the luncheon – the Golden Leadership Award and the Golden Toothbrush Award.
Governor Quinn received the Golden Leadership Award for his leadership in addressing the oral health crisis in both Chicago and throughout the state of Illinois. Governor Quinn is a longtime advocate of oral health, pushing for a new Illinois law to require children entering kindergarten, second and sixth grades to receive an oral health exam. Representative Soto accepted the Erie Golden Leadership Award on behalf of Governor Pat Quinn.
The 2009 Golden Toothbrush Award was given to Mary Pat Burgess, a true visionary and enthusiastic leader in community oral health. She successfully created Chicago’s School-based Oral Health Program, which in just nine years has reached over 148,000 Chicago Public School students with dental exams and referrals. The program is available to over 600 Chicago Public Schools and has become the largest school-based oral health program in the United States.
“It was not expected, which makes receiving the award all the more enjoyable,” said Burgess. “It was a representation of everything we’ve done in the last nine years. It’s nice to be recognized for what you’re trying to do and that people are aware of the actions you’re trying to take to make it better for the children of Chicago.”
In addition to presenting these awards, the event featured one of community oral health’s strongest advocates, Burton L. Edelstein, DDS. He spoke at the event about the importance of community oral health care and its role in community health. Dr. Edelstein is a Pediatric Dentist from Columbia University and is the founder of the Children’s Dental Health Project, a Washington D.C. oral health policy organization that informs policymakers regarding structural fixes to improving children’s oral health in America.
