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Volume2 Issue7
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I
ssues and
P
eople
Youareanassistantprofessor in theschoolof socialworkat theUniversityof
VictoriaandhaveaPhD inCraniofacialScience.What sparkedyour initial interest in
researchingcommunitydental clinics?
As a socialworker I initially sawunmet dental needs asonemorechallenge facedbypeople
living inpoverty, similar tounaffordablehousingand food insecurity. I now takeahealthequity
perspective to this issuewhichmeans financial barriers todental careare systemic, unjust yet
avoidable.
How importantarecommunitydental clinics inprovidingaccess tocare for
disadvantagedcommunities inB.C. –or inother locations inCanada?
InB.C., communitydental clinics are local responses to systemic inequities and theyprovidecritical
care for vulnerablepopulations; however, they lack sufficient scale toprovidea realistic response
to the levelsof need in theprovince.
Doyouhavea rough ideaofhowmanycommunitydental clinicsareoperating
inB.C.?
Theemergenceof communitydental clinics inB.C. is a rather unique response towhat is an issue
acrossCanada. Therearenowover 20clinics in theprovince—mostwereestablished
byconcerned individuals in the last decadeor so.
Yourcasestudyof theCoolAidCommunityDentalClinicshowed that it rana$75,000
deficit lastyear.What’sneeded tomake itfinanciallysustainable?
Inmyopinion, communitydental clinicsprovideaccess tocare, butweneed toensure this care is
equitableacross thegeneral population,whichmeans care that exceeds services for emergency
relief of pain. Considering the limitsof patients’ publicdental benefits and incomes, suchcare
requires subsidies.
Doyou think there isaneconomicargument forgovernments to invest incommunity
dental clinics?
TheCanadianAcademyofHealthSciences (CAHS) report recommends establishing standardsof
oral healthcare for Canadians and identifyingwhat healthcaredelivery systems, personnel and
fundingmechanismareneeded toensure reasonableaccess.Myhope is that this case
studycandemonstrateboth thecosts andbenefitsof sucha response so that
governments canconsider expansionof such services toa realistic
level.
a
Dr. BruceWallace on
COMMUNITYDENTALCLINICS
Dr. BruceWallace
The emergence of communitydental clinics in
BC is a ratherunique response towhat is an
issue acrossCanada.
