With tens of thousands of lost jobs and others struggling in a poor economy, there’s been a big spike in the number of kids unable to get dental care.
“With the economy, with the government and with fees, it’s a multi-faceted issue and, you can appreciate in Alberta, we have a huge problem with people falling through the cracks,” said Denise Kokaram, program lead for the Alex Dental Health Bus, which provides mobile services to schools in high-needs areas.
The number of kids being seen through the Alex’s preventive school program has doubled since it began in 2013. In the first year, 798 children were seen. That jumped to 1,607 in 2016. The amount of children with decay has also shot up from 225 in 2013 to 745 in 2015. The number for 2016 is not yet available.
The numbers are also rising for children seen by the bus team who require more advanced treatment. These families are referred to clinics run by volunteer dentists. In 2013, 65 children had work done. In 2016, that rose to 298.
To view the full story, please visit: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/more-parents-unable-to-afford-childrens-dental-care-in-poor-economy
