Oak Forest Dentist Advocates State Reform to Expand School Dental Care Access

OAK FOREST -- A proposal advancing in Springfield could reshape how dental care reaches Illinois students — and an Oak Forest-area dental provider is helping lead the push for change.

Senate Bill 2797, sponsored by State Sen. Julie Morrison, would create a single statewide framework for Illinois’ All Kids School-Based Dental Program. Supporters say the goal is to make it easier for dentists to provide preventive services in schools while maintaining strong oversight standards.

Oak Forest-area provider Universal Dental, led by Dr. Ahmed Ramaha, has been vocal about the need for reform. The practice has worked extensively in school-based dental programs, providing exams, cleanings, sealants, and referrals for students who may otherwise struggle to access care.

“For many kids, school-based dental care is their only consistent access to a dentist,” Morrison said in a recent statement. “We need fair, uniform rules that keep standards high while making it realistic for dentists to serve these students.”

Illinois currently operates a statewide school dental system, but Chicago maintains additional local requirements that providers say create confusion and administrative burdens. Advocates say participation by dentists in Chicago school programs has declined over the past decade, reducing access to care for many students.

Ramaha says those barriers are felt directly by providers trying to serve schools.

“No dentist objects to high standards—we welcome them,” Ramaha said. “What’s hard is a system where expectations are unclear, oversight is duplicative, and small documentation errors can escalate into major consequences. SB 2797 replaces confusion with clarity.”

Supporters say school-based dental programs are particularly important for working families in communities like Oak Forest and the broader south suburban region. When care is delivered at school, families avoid transportation challenges, missed work hours, and complicated insurance processes.

Health experts note that untreated dental problems can affect children’s attendance, concentration, and overall health. Preventive care delivered early can help avoid more serious issues later.

SB 2797 would standardize statewide participation requirements, clarify Medicaid billing procedures, ensure clinical reviews are conducted by licensed dentists, and eliminate statutory language allowing separate local program structures. Advocates say these changes could encourage more dentists to participate and expand access for students statewide.

“This bill doesn’t lower the bar,” Ramaha said. “It makes the bar reachable. It keeps quality high while making participation realistic.”

As lawmakers consider the proposal, supporters say the focus remains on a simple outcome: ensuring more Illinois children — including those in the south suburbs — have reliable access to dental care where they already spend much of their day: at school.