The Georgian College Oral Health Dental Clinic in Barrie, Ontario, is the latest to offer affordable dental care, particularly for those ineligible for the Canadian Dental Care Plan. The clinic has students from the Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene and Denturism programs offering preventative and therapeutic oral health care to members of the community.
Lisa Buchanan, the college’s director of clinics and placements, told Barrie Today and CTV News that the clinic serves about 200 to 250 clients weekly during its 14-week semester. Students are also responsible for recruiting their own clients.
“I wish we didn’t have to do that, because they have a lot on their plates already with learning,” Buchanan told Barrie Today. “But it’s good practice for them, too, as they’ll be practitioners one day. It helps them understand how to recruit clients and communicate with denture clients,” she added.
Buchanan noted that word-of-mouth is often the best way to find clients. Many of the clinic’s clients rely on disability benefits, such as the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
