Grey Bruce Public Health held a grand opening event on Thursday for its new dental clinic in Walkerton, set to welcome patients next week.
According to the Health Unit, the 1,380-square foot clinic, at 200 McNab St. will provide a full range of dental services for patients enrolled in the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program and Healthy Smiles Ontario.
Guests took tours of the new clinic space on Thursday before the first appointments at the clinic take place on Sept. 10.
"I would like to thank the Ministry of Health for providing funding to support the Walkerton dental clinic capital project, which will bring publicly funded services with a dentist closer to home for many low-income residents in southern Grey-Bruce," said says Dr. Ian Arra, Grey-Bruce’s Medical Officer of Health and CEO of Grey Bruce Public Health. "I would also like to thank Grey Bruce Public Health’s Oral Health Team for their work on this important initiative."
Prior to this project, GBPH’s Oral Health team provided services at two permanent clinics – in Owen Sound and Markdale – and mobile clinics in Wiarton and Walkerton.
Grey Bruce Public Health received Ministry of Health funding to upgrade its dental clinics, following the launch of the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program, which provides dental services to eligible, low-income seniors aged 65 and older.
The new clinic features two operatories, along with x-ray, sterilization, charting, and consult rooms, a reception area, waiting room, utility room, and lunchroom.
In addition to dental services, the new clinic will be used by GBPH’s Sexual Health and Vaccine Preventable Diseases teams to provide services in southern Bruce County.