• First-of-its-kind oral care center celebrates ribbon-cutting ceremony with Stanley Bergman, Henry Schein Chairman, and CEO; Rahma Samow, EVP & Global Head DSO, Straumann Group

• Free, comprehensive dental care to be offered to estimated 2,500 underserved patients annually

TAG - The Aspen Group, a nationwide leader in consumer health care, debuted its TAG Oral Care Center for Excellence – a state-of-the-art clinic designed to provide comprehensive dental care at no cost to underserved Illinois residents.

"We're thrilled to officially open the TAG Oral Care Center after many years of intensive planning, organizing, and building," said Bob Fontana, chairman, and CEO of TAG. "We're extremely proud to put our resources, clinical expertise, and passion toward expanding access to quality dental care for underserved patients in Illinois. We believe that the services provided at the TAG Oral Care Center have the power and potential to change people's lives for the better, and we can't wait to get to work."

The new 25,000 sq. ft. clinic – centrally located in Chicago's West Loop – will offer patients access to the latest dental care technology and services offered by a team of dentists and dental support staff for up to 2,500 qualifying patients each year. To qualify, patients must be Illinois residents who are eligible for Medicaid, or who are uninsured with a household income that is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Patients will receive comprehensive dental care, including fillings, extractions, non-surgical periodontal treatment, dental implants, and associated restorations, 3D imaging and scanning, and restorative dentistry, including crowns, bridges, and dentures.

"The TAG Oral Care Center for Excellence will fill a critical gap for thousands of underserved patients in Illinois who struggle to access routine dental services," said Dr. Julie Frantsve-Hawley, CAE, executive director of the TAG Oral Care Center for Excellence. "To have reached this remarkable milestone is a testament to the efforts of so many – policymakers, local community organizations, our corporate sponsors, TAG doctors and teams, and many more. I hope it gives everyone involved a reason to smile a little brighter today."

The center was made possible with the support and advocacy of Representative Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago) and Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), the Senate's Majority Caucus Chair, who shepherded legislation through the General Assembly in 2021 to expand the opportunity for licensed dentists to provide free care to underserved Illinois residents through education and training programs.

"As a former healthcare provider myself, I uniquely understood the value a facility like the Oral Care Center could offer to residents of my district, too many of whom simply can't afford quality dental care," said Rep. Collins. "I was proud to sponsor this bill to help overcome this challenge in our community with the opening of the TAG Oral Care Center."

"Regular dental care is critical for overall good health, but for so many underserved communities, it's simply not a realistic option to maintain good oral health," said Sen. Hunter. "With clinics like the Oral Care Center, we can start to reverse that reality so that no matter where you live, you can get the care you need to support healthy living."

The TAG Oral Care Center for Excellence builds on TAG's history of breaking down barriers and expanding access to care. TAG is committed to meeting patients where they are and empowering leading clinicians and teams to provide state-of-the-art care through strategic professional development initiatives and access to the latest dental technology.

Most recently, Aspen Dental, one of TAG's core consumer brands providing dental care through doctor-owned practices across the country, hosted its annual Day of Service, providing free dental care to over 3,000 veterans and their family members. This annual initiative seeks to close the gap in dental care for veterans who are only eligible for dental benefits through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs if they're 100% disabled, have a service-related mouth injury, or were a prisoner of war. The TAG Oral Care Center seeks to build on that foundation of service for many years to come.

Patients looking to enquire about booking an appointment at the new center, and believe they fit the criteria, call 1-866-TAG-OCCE or visit our website: https://www.aspendental.com/tag-oral-care-center/patient