ODS. Healthcare from your head to your toes.

The Children’s Program: providing dental care to Oregon’s uninsured children

Oregon remains a state where far too many children never see a dentist. The negative effects that poor oral health can have on a child are devastating. It can cripple them developmentally and academically. The Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) and ODS created the Children’s Program in partnership with Willamette Dental, Kaiser and Oregon dentists to ensure that uninsured children in the state of Oregon have access to dental care. The program provides basic dental services for children between the ages of 5 and 18 who reside in Oregon and are not covered under any dental plan (OHP is a dental plan).

How it works
Working with Oregon schools, pediatricians, hospital emergency rooms and county health departments to identify children in need of care, ODS, Willamette Dental and Kaiser will refer patients to participating dentists for no-fee treatment. Oregon dentists help fund the program by contributing a portion of their fees when treating OEBB members. Patients have zero responsibility or out-of-pocket costs for services covered. Patients are referred to a coordinator at ODS who makes the referral to dentists working with the Children’s Program.

If you would like to refer a patient to the Children’s Program, please fill out our referral form. Referrals are on an “as- needed” basis (not an open-enrollment for students without insurance) referrals must come from an authorized representative from the child’s school, county health department, ER or pediatrician’s office. Referrals from parents or legal guardians are not accepted.

The Children’s Program resources