(Peoria, Illinois | September 9, 2026) – OSF HealthCare welcomed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin to its dental clinic on Tuesday, September 8, to highlight the growing need for accessible oral health care and the expansion of services planned at OSF Dental’s Forest Park location on the OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center campus.
During his visit on Tuesday, September 8, Sen. Durbin toured the dental clinic before participating in a press conference at the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute. Federal funding secured through congressionally directed spending by Durbin will support the renovation and expansion of the Forest Park Clinic, increasing capacity for dental procedures that require sedation or anesthesia.
Dental access remains a significant community need. One in five Tri-County residents cannot access dental care when needed. Medicaid access also remains a barrier, with 20% of Peoria County residents enrolled in Medicaid while most dentists do not accept Medicaid. Children are disproportionately affected, with 54% of Medicaid members under age 21 having not received dental services.
“Access to dental care is an important part of overall health, and we know there are children and adults in our community who face barriers to getting the care they need,” said Amanda Sutphen, director of community outreach at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center. “This expansion will allow us to increase our capacity, provide more timely care and continue meeting the growing need for accessible dental services. We are grateful for Sen. Durbin’s support and investment in improving oral health care for our community.”
OSF Dental currently operates outpatient clinics at Forest Park and Sheridan, providing comprehensive dental services to patients of all ages, including Medicaid recipients and patients without insurance. Services include preventive, restorative, prosthodontic, endodontic, urgent and surgical care.
The Forest Park expansion will add dedicated procedure rooms designed to support oral, maxillofacial and dental procedures requiring sedation or anesthesia. The additional capacity will help address current wait times of approximately nine months for sedation procedures and provide more timely care for children and adults.
Demand for dental services continues to grow. OSF Dental provided nearly 7,000 patient visits in fiscal year 2025, including approximately 2,500 pediatric visits. More than 8,000 visits are anticipated in fiscal year 2026, with approximately half expected to be pediatric visits.
OSF Dental also provides community-based pediatric dental screenings through partnerships with community organizations and trains the next generation of dental providers through its nationally accredited dental residency program. Four dental residents are trained each year through the program, which is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.
The expansion will further OSF HealthCare’s efforts to increase access to affordable, preventive and comprehensive oral health care, particularly for children and patients who face barriers to accessing dental services.