What Is I-Smile Silver? 
I-Smile Silver is a program that helps all adults get dental care.
I-Smile Silver is a pilot project for Iowa adults, modeled after the I-Smile program for children. The project is designed to help adults access dental care. As a pilot project, I-Smile Silver services are currently available in ten counties: Calhoun, Des Moines, Hamilton, Humboldt, Lee, Pocahontas, Scott, Van Buren, Webster, and Wright.
A Healthy Mouth Supports a Healthy Body
A healthy mouth is needed for daily activities such as eating food and speaking with confidence. On the contrary, an unhealthy mouth can make it hard to eat or drink and it impacts overall health.
Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissues that surround teeth, silently releases germs from the mouth into the blood stream. Because gum disease is a chronic disease, happening slowly over time and with few symptoms, most people don’t realize their unhealthy mouth may be damaging their bodies. These germs can impact blood sugar levels of patients with diabetes and increase risks for pneumonia, cardiopulmonary disease, stroke, and heart disease.
To learn more about how the condition of your mouth impacts the condition of your body check out this infographic.
Who Does I-Smile Silver Help?
I-Smile Silver helps adults who have questions about oral care or difficulty getting dental services. Answer the questions below.
Do you live in one of the I-Smile Silver pilot counties? Click on this map to find out
- Do you find it difficult to keep your mouth healthy or free of pain?
- Do you have difficulty eating certain foods due to mouth pain or discomfort?
- Do you have trouble finding dental care?
- Are you confused by your dental benefits or how to pay for dental care?
If you live in the I-Smile Silver service area and answered yes to any of the above questions, I-Smile Silver may be able to help.
Additional Resources for Dental Care
Dental Provider and Dental Resouces
For information about getting dental care, visit /Portals/11/Images/ResourcesfordentalcareFINAL.pdf.
Dental Lifeline Network of Iowa Donated Dental Services Program
The Iowa Donated Dental Services Program provides free, comprehensive dental care through volunteer dental providers.
Applicants must lack adequate income to pay for dental care and:
• Have a permanent disability, or
• Are elderly: age 65 or older, or
• Qualify as medically-fragile
For dentists, volunteering is easy. Dental Lifeline Network (DLN) ensures:
• Patients are pre-screened and arrive on time to their appointments
• Dentists work from the comfort of their own office and on their own schedule
• Dentists never pay lab costs, and the DLN coordinator processes paperwork
Contact the Iowa Program Coordinator at 515-251-8000 or visit DLN’s website for more information.
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