By Cecilia Nasmith

Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini visited the Community Health Centres of Northumberland in Port Hope Tuesday to announce the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program.

Visiting the centre's dental clinic, Piccini said that the program will provide free routine dental care for eligible low-income seniors across the province, and offer access to a comprehensive range of preventive and restorative dental services.

Qualifying seniors aged 65 and over must have a combined annual income of no more than $32,300 – and no more than $19,300 for individuals.

Piccini said an estimated 60,000 visits to hospital emergency rooms each year stem from preventable orally related issues, and seniors account for a significant portion of those visits.

“Being able to tackle that upstream for low-income seniors is a really important step to ending hallway health care.

“When we talk about targeting those rural and remote-area seniors suffering from isolation, being under-serviced, this is a perfect example. We can get to you upstream, giving you the oral care you need, preventing the downstream visit to the ER.”

Community Health Centres of Northumberland executive director Duff Sprague said increased funding increases the stability for the services they provide, including a range of free and discounted dental services for local residents.

The announcement included the news that they have been approved for a capital investment of $244,000 to expand these services.

“Capital funding will allow us to build a third operatory and expand the dental team, and allow us to start using our mobile equipment to offer dental hygiene clinics in the community – a cascading effect of positive things,” Sprague said.

Conditions are falling into place in Colborne, Sprague added, which will probably be their first location to get up and running. And a mobile-dental visit to Cobourg's Transition House is planned in the near future.

Mayor Bob Sanderson – Acting Warden for Northumberland County - sent his congratulations and comments on what he termed a welcome announcement.

“This program will have a significant impact in Northumberland County, which has a larger senior population than the provincial average,” Sanderson predicted.

“Free routine dental care will improve physical and mental health, and general quality of life, for many low-income seniors in our community.”

This issue was the subject of one of his first meetings soon after he was elected, Piccini recalled.

“It's great to see we have followed through on this commitment we have made, an important step in the overall hallway-health-care strategy, building on announcements we have made at our local hospital and building an Ontario Health Care team.”

Announced by Minister of Health Christine Elliott in Colborne recently, the Ontario Health Team-Northumberland is one of the first 24 to be established in the province – and to date, one of the smallest.

The OHT model is an example of how the provincial government is looking at a systemic restructuring of health care rather than just filling holes.

“To the extent government can reduce barriers, supply funding and create conditions for integration, that's our job,” he said.

“These strategic investments are an important start, because we are going to save money in the long run.”

Applications are now available at the health unit, at the health centre dental clinic and on-line at ontario.ca/SeniorsDental (or call 1-833-207-4435).