A new community dental care program has opened in Woodstock, aiming to provide care for seniors and low income adults who might otherwise lack dental insurance.
The new clinic is part of the Oxford County Community Health Centre. It is the product of four years’ effort and campaigning by community health organizations and individuals like committee chair Holly Heard-Lucas and project co-ordinator Jo-Anne Orton. They were able to secure funding from sources like United Way Oxford and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The clinic will offer two programs. The first will be offering free care for seniors and will be run by Southwestern Public Health on Mondays and Tuesdays, while an outreach program for low-income adults will take place Wednesday through Friday. County warden and public health board chair Larry Martin expressed his gratitude for community support.
With 35% of Ontarians lacking dental benefits, the program aims to serve a major need in Woodstock and the Oxford County at large. The new program will join others at the centre aimed at battling mental health, addiction, diabetes and other issues. Community programs like these are often advertised through poster printing and brochure printing campaigns, to make sure the public takes advantage of them.
The clinic’s completion was officially announced on February 13, with plans to begin accepting patients in the near future.
