The Illinois Division of the American Cancer Society agreed, approving a three-year, $250,000 grant for the project, "Effectiveness of Standard-of-Care Curriculum for Tobacco Education in a Dental Hygiene Context."

Margaret S. Stockdale, an associate professor of psychology; Joan Davis, assistant professor in dental hygiene; and Martha Cropper, a field representative with SIUC's Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, already shared a common bond through the Live Free-Tobacco Free program. Two years ago, SIUC received a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health to spearhead a pilot project aimed at convincing college-age women to quit smoking, or not to start.