I
ssues and
P
eople
19
Volume2 Issue7
|
Dr. BruceWallace has researchedand publishedarticles on the emergence of communitydental
clinics inBritishColumbia in collaborationwithDr.MichaelMacEntee, professor in the
faculty of dentistryat theUniversity ofBritishColumbia.This year,Dr.Wallace receivedan
Award ofMeritfrom theBritishColumbiaDentalAssociation in recognition of his impact
on oral health care inB.C., particularlyhis contributions tounderstandingaccess to care for
vulnerable populations.Theworkhe describes in this articlewas presentedat theCanadian
PublicHealthAssociation conference inMay2015.
Community dental clinics have been proposed as one way to improve
access tooralhealthcare for low-income individualswhocan’tafford to see
a dentist. In its 2014 report,
” theCanadianAcademy ofHealthSciences added
its voice to a number of organizations recommending that publicoptions
for oral health care be provided in alternative service settings, such as
communityhealthcentres.
But arecommunityhealthcentresaviable solution for addressing inequities inoral
health? In thisarticle, I examine thatquestionbydescribing theoperationsof a
communitydental clinic inVictoria, BritishColumbia. This case study reviews theclinic’s
mandate, staffing, patientprofilesand treatments, andfinances.
Clinic
Since1968, theVictoriaCoolAidSociety inVictoria, hasprovidedhousing, healthcare,
support andemergency shelter toadultswhoarehomelessor living inpoverty.Health
servicesareprovided through theCoolAidCommunityHealthCentre (CHC),which
specializes inproviding interdisciplinaryprimaryhealthcare services toeconomically
vulnerableclients.
In2002, dental serviceswere integratedwithin theCHC. Themandateof theCoolAid
Dental Clinic is toprovidebasicdental care to individuals facingbarriers inaccessing
care, ina setting that accommodates thesepatients.
Operations
Thedental clinicoperatesMonday toFriday, 8:30 to4:30, andSaturday10:00 to2:00.
Thereare4chairs,withonededicated tohygiene servicesandanotheralmostexclusively
fordenture services. Sixdentistsarecontractedhourlyby theclinic;mostdays, thereare2
dentistsworking in theclinic. Thedental staff (apart-timecoordinator, 0.75FTEhygienist,
BruceWallace
MSW,PhD
(Craniofacial
Science)
Dr.Wallace is
assistant professor,
school of socialwork,
University ofVictoria,
Victoria, BC.
