NORTH BAY, ON - Fewer North Bay adults have made visits to the emergency department for dental issues since the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) opened an Oral Health clinic for low income adults in February 2018.

North Bay adults made 630 dental related visits to the emergency department in 2018, down from 800 the previous year, resulting in a reduction of 170 dental related visits. This represents a 21.3 per cent decrease in the rate from 2017 to 2018, and about $87,210 in averted spending towards non-traumatic oral health-related emergency department visits.

The impact of poor dental health extends beyond medical problems and can affect a person’s ability to learn, to get a job, to work, as well as a person’s self-esteem and relationships. There are many barriers to accessing oral health services; the Health Unit’s dental clinic helps those who meet the criteria achieve healthy smiles.

In 2018, 561 adults utilized the clinic. The clinic continues to grow, as 595 adults have been treated in the first six months of 2019. The current wait time is six months, with emergency appointments available for severe dental traumas.

The adult clinic provides preventative, routine and emergency dental services free of charge for individuals 18 years of age and older, from the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts, who meet the eligibility criteria. Recipients of Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, Interim Federal Health Program or non-insured health benefits for Indigenous people and individuals or families who meet the financial criteria are all eligible for the program.

In 2018, 68 per cent of adult clients presented with one or more areas of untreated tooth decay, 62 per cent with dental pain and 18 per cent with a dental abscess. In the first six months of 2019, 76 per cent of adult clients presented with one or more areas of untreated tooth decay, 51 per cent with dental pain and 22 per cent with a dental abscess.

The Health Unit also offers a children’s clinic, which provides dental services to children 17 years of age and under through the Healthy Smiles Ontario program (HSO), including teeth cleaning, check-ups, dental treatment and urgent or emergency oral health issues.

In 2018, the Health Unit screened 4,696 children and 1,177 children received dental care through the HSO program, totalling 2,143 dental visits.  In the first six months of 2019, the Health Unit screened 1,779 children and 770 children received dental care through the HSO program, resulting in 1,004 dental visits.

“There is an evident need for the clinics in our community. The reduction of emergency room visits is particularly important, as reduced wait times and averted costs have a significant impact on the acute care system,” said Julie Patenaude-Bouffard, Interim Program Manager, Oral Health. “The impact on the individual is seen almost immediately.”

The Health Unit asked clients in a survey, “What has coming to this clinic meant to you?”  Responses included:

“Everything! The pain I have endured has been unbearable and now I see a pain free future”

“It meant a great deal! I thought there was no one to help me when I couldn’t afford dental care. Amazing Thank you!”

“To live again/so happy I am almost crying. Thank you.”

The Health Unit would like to thank Green Shield Canada, the Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing (LIPI), District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB) and North Bay Oral Surgery for supporting the adult clinic. The Health Unit would also like to thank those dentists in private practice who service emergency clients and low-income patients. The Health Unit and their community partners are working to provide equitable access to dental care and to improve the health of adults in the Health Unit’s region who have challenges accessing dental services. The Health Unit is also working with the provincial Ministry of Health to plan for services under the recently announced Ontario Senior’s Dental Care Program.

For more information or to determine if you are eligible for services, call the Health Unit at 705-474-1400 or 1-800-563-2808, or learn more at myhealthunit.ca.

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Media Inquiries

Alex McDermid, Public Relations Specialist

P: 705-474-1400, ext. 5221 or 1-800-563-2808

E: Communications@healthunit.ca