Shaping Public Policy with the Illinois State Dental Society

Mobilizing Members and Patients to Deliver Insurance Reform in Illinois

Challenge:

Illinois dentists have sounded the alarm for too long on an issue that has dramatically affected the health outcomes of their patients for decades – the pressing need for insurance reform. Despite increasing dental insurance premiums, patients experience frustration as their dental benefits diminish. Sporadic and limited benefits have meant patients are regularly denied coverage on the most basic services.

Building on recent patient-centered dental insurance victories in Massachusetts, the Illinois State Dental Society engaged Krantz Strategies to develop and manage a strategic public relations campaign advocating for dental insurance reform legislation in Illinois.

Objectives:

The campaign began with a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by dental professionals and patients in Illinois due to the existing dental insurance system. We set clear and measurable objectives:

To increase awareness of ISDS's mission and goals among the public.
To influence stakeholders and legislators to prioritize dental insurance reform.
To create an environment conducive to garnering public and legislative support.
To boost ISDS members' confidence through highlighting campaign victories.

Strategy:

The campaign utilized a multifaceted strategy that included:

Framing proposals as patient-centered initiatives.
Leveraging web, digital advertising, video, social media, and media relations.
Hosting a press conference to launch the campaign.
Producing an engaging video outlining the importance of reform.
Utilizing targeted digital and social media.
Creating fact sheets, social graphics, and a toolkit for stakeholders.
Engaging in proactive media relations including securing a letter to the editor by a member in the Chicago Tribune.
Tailoring messages during legislative hearings.

Key Results:

Two out of three bills were signed into law by Governor Pritzker.
More for Your Smile positively impacted dental professionals and patients.
Metrics included 65,000 video views on YouTube.
The campaign successfully engaged ISDS membership and fostered unity in advocating for dentistry and oral health.
The campaign's success resulted from collaboration, effective messaging, and strategic media engagement. Lessons learned include the importance of cohesive messaging, data-driven advocacy, and continuous stakeholder engagement.
Through a comprehensive, strategic communications campaign, ISDS and Krantz Strategies effectively advocated for dental insurance reform, improving the lives of dental professionals and patients across Illinois. "More for Your Smile" is a strong foundation for continued efforts to shape public policy and promote oral health.

Lindsay Wagahoff, Director of Government Relations, Illinois State Dental Society:

To enhance our efforts regarding dental insurance reform, we knew we needed a bold campaign that would engage legislators and members of the public.
Krantz Strategies took the time to listen to our goals and really understand what we wanted to achieve. Krantz Strategies designed, developed, and implemented a marketing campaign that spoke to our member-dentists and their patients.
This campaign really highlighted and demonstrated the need for dental insurance reform in Illinois. Krantz Strategies took care of every last detail of implementing this campaign and was phenomenal to work with.

Shaping Public Policy with the Illinois State Dental Society

Mobilizing Members and Patients to Deliver Insurance Reform in Illinois

Challenge:

Objectives:

Strategy:

Key Results:

The campaign's success resulted from collaboration, effective messaging, and strategic media engagement. Lessons learned include the importance of cohesive messaging, data-driven advocacy, and continuous stakeholder engagement.

To enhance our efforts regarding dental insurance reform, we knew we needed a bold campaign that would engage legislators and members of the public.

Krantz Strategies took the time to listen to our goals and really understand what we wanted to achieve. Krantz Strategies designed, developed, and implemented a marketing campaign that spoke to our member-dentists and their patients.

This campaign really highlighted and demonstrated the need for dental insurance reform in Illinois. Krantz Strategies took care of every last detail of implementing this campaign and was phenomenal to work with.