Smiles over time: an older adult oral health survey in Illinois.

Purpose: The purpose of the project was to identify the oral health status and needs of the older adult population ≥60 years old in Illinois for policy decisions and to help identify possible need for oral health interventions. No baseline data has previously been collected on this population in Illinois.

Methods: A public/private collaboration was formed, which included the Illinois Department of Public Health, the IFLOSS Coalition and dental and dental hygiene schools in Illinois.