New Marion dental center expands specialized care for Southern Illinois children
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
MARION, Ill., (KBSI) — Shawnee Health has opened a new pediatric dental center in Marion aimed at expanding access to specialized care for children across Southern Illinois.
The Children’s Dental Center, located at 3115 Williamson County Parkway, is the only pediatric dental facility in Southern Illinois that accepts Medicaid, according to Shawnee Health. Services include treatment under general anesthesia, allowing families to receive specialized care closer to home.
The facility was made possible by a $2.5 million award from the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation. It replaces Shawnee Health’s former general dentistry clinic with a renovated pediatric facility serving patients from birth through age 21.
The center includes two dedicated treatment suites and is expected to serve hundreds of children each month across Shawnee Health’s 19-county service area.
Shawnee Health said it treats children from more than half of Illinois’ counties and has nearly 200 children waiting for specialized dental care.
“This investment from ILCHF allows us to create a facility that not only meets the dental needs of our youngest patients today but also sets the stage for healthier futures across our communities,” said Di Riley, Shawnee Health’s chief director of clinical services.
Shawnee Health celebrated the center’s opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday. The organization said the facility will help shorten wait times and reduce travel barriers for families seeking pediatric dental care.
