Why gaps exist in children’s dental health and how to close them in the Chicago area

Why gaps exist in children’s dental health and how to close them in the Chicago area
In this Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 photo, Dr. Juan Fernando Yepes, a dentist at the Riley Hospital for Children Department of Pediatric Dentistry, checks the teeth of Justin Perez, 11, during an office visit in Indianapolis. February is national children's dental health month. Michael Conroy / AP Photo
Why gaps exist in children’s dental health and how to close them in the Chicago area
In this Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 photo, Dr. Juan Fernando Yepes, a dentist at the Riley Hospital for Children Department of Pediatric Dentistry, checks the teeth of Justin Perez, 11, during an office visit in Indianapolis. February is national children's dental health month. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Why gaps exist in children’s dental health and how to close them in the Chicago area

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Dental care is one of the nation’s greatest unmet health needs among kids, especially in low-income communities. A team of researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago is working to understand why that is and what can be done to reduce disparities in those areas.

Reset talks to one of the lead researchers for more details. Plus, we check in with a mobile dental clinic that’s already working to close the gap on the city’s far South Side.

GUESTS: Dr. Molly Martin, pediatrician and associate professor of pediatrics at the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago

Lori Gross, manager of the mobile dental clinic at Roseland Community Hospital