Dr. Henry Lotsof: Walking the Walk for Dental Care

Having first heard about Uplift School Health Center from one of his Dental Champions when he was the Illinois Dental Director for Doral Dental Services. Henry Lotsof made an offer that couldn’t be refused – to provide free dental care for Uplift Community High School’s students. Uplift is located in the Uptown community and the health center in the school became part of Heartland International Health Center last December.

Dental care and treatment is one of the most difficult services to find in low-income communities, and these students jumped at the chance to get into the dental chair to take advantage. Dr. Lotsof started about two and a half years ago and has been coming to Uplift ever since a couple of times a month on his day off.

One of his many patients, Daniel Hinton, a junior, speaks glowingly of his dental experience. “Dr. Lotsof is a pretty good guy. He keeps you calm if you’re nervous and tries to get to know you even when he’s doing his work. He’s very professional, and he’s a great role model.”

When asked why he does this, Dr. Lotsof explained, “I have always felt that just as the community is good to you, it is important to give back to the community. Providing dental services at Uplift allows me to do this. The students at Uplift are really a great group of young people, and I enjoy seeing them.”

Dr. Lotsof’s main practice is based in Bethany Methodist Hospital, not far from Uplift. It serves the surrounding neighborhood, patients of the hospital and the hospital's retirement home. He also see patients at Bethany Terrace, a health and rehabilitation center in Morton Grove, which is part of the Bethany Methodist family of centers.

Dr. Lotsof firmly believes that everyone should have access to reasonable dental care, and he regrets that is not always the case. As Illinois Dental Director for Doral Dental Services and the administrator of the Illinois dental medicaid program, he was involved in numerous projects and programs all with the purpose of increasing access to dental care for the underserved. His work at Uplift, and previous work providing outreach dental services on both the Illinois Masonic Dental Van and the Ravenswood Hospital Dental Van are all testaments to a man who acts on his beliefs. Heartland International Health Center and his student patients are very fortunate that Dr. Lotsof found his way to us.