Niagara Dental Health Coalition and Niagara College co-host 2019 Ontario Oral Health Alliance Forum
A provincial forum on expanding access to dental care will be held in Niagara for the first time this year, thanks to the efforts of the Ontario Oral Health Alliance, the Niagara Dental Health Coalition and Niagara College.
On April 26, dental industry professionals will gather at Niagara College’s Welland Campus for the 2019 Ontario Oral Health Alliance (OOHA) Forum. The event is being co-hosted by the Niagara Dental Health Coalition (NDHC) and Niagara College (NC).
Focused on the theme, ‘Filling the Gap: Expanding Access to Dental Care in Ontario and Canada,’ the forum is geared to industry professionals, volunteers and other stakeholders who will learn about work being done to improve access to dental care at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. The forum will involve agencies from across the region advocating for oral health care for vulnerable populations in Niagara – including Quest Community Health Centre and Bridges Community Health Centre – as well as the Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry, and the Alliance for Healthier Communities.
This will mark the twelfth annual OOHA forum, which provides members with an opportunity to stay updated on government initiatives, access toolkits and advice for local level advocacy, network and share practices, and celebrate success.
“Many people, including some dental professionals, are not aware that two- to three-million Ontarians do not visit a dentist each year due to cost and that over $30-million is spent annually on dental related emergency room visits,” said OOHA coordinator Anna Rusak. “Ensuring that dental and non-dental students begin to learn these facts and/or the struggles people face accessing primary oral health care is one of the critical steps necessary to reaching OOHA’s vision of equitable access to dental care for all Ontarians. So, we are very excited for Niagara College’s involvement this year.”
“We are proud to be a part of bringing this significant industry event to the Niagara region for the first time and are looking forward to welcoming dental industry professionals from across the province to our Welland Campus, which is home to our dental clinic and dental programs,” said Carolyn Triemstra, dean of NC’s Community and Health Studies division. “The forum provides our College and the Niagara region an opportunity to showcase some of our services and support the greater advocacy efforts in the province related to oral health services.”
NDHC chair Lori Kleinsmith, who is also a member of the OOHA steering committee, noted that the NDHC is pleased to co-host the annual OOHA Forum for the first time and the significance of having the event in Niagara. “The NDHC and its member agencies regularly receive calls and emails from Niagara residents who can’t afford to pay for dental care and we have few options to suggest to them for help,” said Kleinsmith. “By bringing the event to Niagara, we hope to be able to engage with more local stakeholders who will be in attendance to help find solutions.”
Speakers will present information about advocacy taking place at municipal, provincial and federal levels of government, including:
- Setting the Context: Progress on Advocacy for Expanded Access to Dental Care in Ontario – Anna Rusak and Sue Hochu, long-time members of the OOHA steering committee;
- Making Effective Use of Resources at the Local Level, Examples from Communities across Ontario – Ashley Chiarello (health promoter, Bridges Community Health Centre, Fort Erie) and Fran Berry (homelessness prevention worker, Project Share, Niagara Falls) from the Niagara Dental Health Coalition; Jo-Anne Orton, project coordinator with Oxford Oral Health Access Initiative; and Beatrice Costello, community dental hygienist with City of Hamilton Public Health Services;
- Expanding Access to Dental Care in Canada: Dr. Peter Cooney, former chief dental officer of Canada; and
- Getting Ready for October’s Federal Election – Jacquie Maund, government relations and policy lead, Alliance for Healthier Communities and member of OOHA steering committee.
Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the Niagara College Dental Clinic, which provides on-campus, real-world learning experiences for students of the College’s Dental Hygiene (Ontario College Advanced Diploma) program, as well as Dental Assisting (Ontario College Certificate) programs, while offering dental health services to students and community residents at a low cost.
Guided tours will be available for the Niagara Region Public Health Mobile Dental Clinic, which will be parked on campus for the event. One of only five mobile units in the province, the 33-foot RV with a dental clinic on board travels throughout the region visiting schools and community locations to provide children and youth with preventative dental services. It is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and is a component of Healthy Smiles Ontario.
Registration is now closed for the forum, which is expected to draw about 70 industry professionals from across the province, mainly from public health units and community health centres. Dental professionals and dental students from NC were also invited to attend.
