The Northwestern Health Unit is getting $818,700 in provincial funding to offer a low-income seniors dental program.
The money will allow the Health Unit to buy another mobile clinic and fix up three dental offices in Dryden, Pickle Lake and Ignace.
Dawn Sauve is the Manager of Dental Health and says the program has been a long time coming.
“I’ve been doing public health for 31-years and this is the first time they’ve ever done a low income seniors program. We saw the Healthy Smiles Ontario program come in in 2016 and now we have the seniors program that’s coming. It’s extremely exciting.”
Marilyn Herbacz is the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Unit.
Herbacz says “there are a lot of reasons why seniors are not able to access dental services and this program will give them that access that they need. And having the mobile van will allow us to go into places and meet the people where they are at so they can access the services.”
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford made the funding announcement yesterday (Monday) and says this follows up on their promise made back in last April’s budget.
Rickford says the seniors dental program prevents people from having to use emergency rooms and cuts down on hallway medicine.
To qualify individuals need to be:
-An Ontario resident aged 65 or over
-Have no other dental benefits
-An individual net income of less than $19,300 or for couples, a combined income of $32,300 or less
