A dental clinic for low-income adults has opened up at the Oxford County Community Health Center after 4 years of work on a community dental care program. Jo-Anne Orton, project coordinator for the clinic through the community health center has expressed that this step will be the pie in the sky and it is something they were always wanting to do.
The clinic has still not taken any patients yet but they recently celebrated the completion of the project. Volunteers, staff and community notables gathered on Thursday to celebrate the official opening of the clinic. The clinic houses two distinct programs-the free seniors’ dental care program that happens two days a week on Monday and Tuesday and the community dental outreach program offering dental care for low-income adults happening Wednesday through Friday.
Kelly Gilson, executive director of United Way Oxford, who helped with the funding of the project stated that a significant amount (over 35 per cent) of the total population don’t have any benefits for dental care brutally affecting their dignity and self esteem. Larry Martin, Oxford County’s warden, the dental specialists in Kitchener and the public health board chair said that with such strong partnerships and organizations supporting the cause, they can go from a funding announcement to actually delivering comprehensive seniors’ dental services in less than nine months.
Martin added that the Oxford County and the community health center have many goals in common. Providing services to individuals who experience barriers to health and wellness being the prominent one. He also joked that the clinic is so good that he cannot wait to get old and get in.
The dental clinic has come together with about $260,000 in fundraising from partners such as Toyota and United Way Oxford. The clinic has also received an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant. They are also partnering with the Southwestern public health.