Shawnee Health to open pediatric dental center in Marion

FOX23 Sales Team

MARION, Ill., (KBSI) — Shawnee Health will open a new pediatric dental center in Marion aimed at expanding access to specialized dental care for children across Southern Illinois.

The Children’s Dental Center, located at 3115 Williamson County Parkway, will be the only pediatric dental facility in Southern Illinois that accepts Medicaid, according to Shawnee Health. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The center will serve children from birth through age 21 and offer specialized pediatric dental services, including treatment under general anesthesia.

The facility was made possible through a $2.5 million award from the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation. It replaces Shawnee Health’s previous general dentistry clinic with a renovated pediatric facility featuring two dedicated treatment suites.

Shawnee Health said nearly 200 children are currently waiting for specialized dental care. The new center is expected to serve hundreds of children each month across the organization’s 19-county service area.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Marion Mayor Mike Absher and Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey are among those expected to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Facility tours will follow the ceremony.