New changes from the province will be affecting Haliburton County. Notice from the Director of Oral Health with the HKPR District Health Unit, Dr. Laleh Sadeghi says health units would no longer be required by the province to offer preventative dental services to children.
Sadeghi says there is a higher rate of tooth decay in Kindergarten students in Haliburton County. These changes would mean children wouldn’t be able to access dental programs for immediate dental conditions.
The Board of Directors recently agreed to send a letter to the Premier and the provincial health minister showing their concerns for the area. They’re also calling on other Ontario health units for support.
According to the Health Unit, over the last three years, screening in local schools has found approximately 37 per cent of Junior and Senior Kindergarten students suffer from some sort of tooth decay.