COordinated Oral Health Promotion (CO-OP) Chicago Heading link

Dental cavities are very common in children. More than half (63%) of 3rd-graders in the Chicago area have cavities! If cavities are not treated, they can cause many problems such as:

  • Pain
  • Severe Infections
  • Malnutrition
  • Speech Difficulties
  • Poor School Performance
  • Cosmetic Problems
  • Lower Quality of Life

COordinated Oral Health Promotion (CO-OP) Chicago is working to fix this problem.

CO-OP Chicago is a series of research studies that are trying to find ways to improve oral health for low-income children. One of our studies tested a community health worker model. We are now following families over time to better understand their oral health and social needs.