21
Volume1 Issue2
|
I
ssues and
P
eople
Formany residents ofNewfoundlandand
Labradorfindngadentist canbe a challenge.
According toDr. JasonNoel, president of
theNewfoundlandandLabradorDental
Association (NLDA), the shortage of dentists
affects mainly centralNewfoundlandand
smaller towns. “Patients in those areas just
don’t have access to care,” saysDr.Noel.
“They’rewaitinguntil theyhave amajor
problembefore going to thedentist because
they can’t see one ona regular basis.”
CDA statistics from 2013 put the ratio of dentists to
patients inNewfoundland and Labrador at about 2800
people per dentist. According to Dr. Noel, this ratio
increases to about 4000 people per dentist once you
get off theAvalonPeninsula. Compared to thenational
average of about 1700:1, these numbers highlight the
difficulties facing many people living in this province
when it comes togettingdental treatment.
Without a local dentist, some patients with major
dental problems turn up in hospital emergency
rooms—which aren’t equipped to deal with dental
emergencies—or travel long distances to get the care
theyneed. Dr. Noel says thatby the timeapatient finds
their way to a dentist, “The situation is: ‘Doc, make the
pain stop.’ Inmyownclinic,wehavepatients thatcome
froma2or 3hour driveawaybecause theycan’t get in
anywhere else. I’m in Bay Roberts, which is about 45
minutes fromSt. John’s.”
