Denis Cabral hasn’t been to a dentist in more than six years.
He wasn’t able to afford to go to since he hurt his back. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board doesn’t cover his teeth so he said he would rather spend every dime he had to ensure his six-year-old-daughter had a perfect smile.
But on Saturday, he was able to take advantage of a province wide campaign that offered free oral care. Natural Smiles the Dental Hygiene Boutique was the only dental office in Thunder Bay to participate in the Gift from the Heart campaign.
Cabral said he was glad that they decided to join.
“It’s wonderful,” Cabral said. “As soon as I heard about it I came right away. I`ll be following the tips they gave me and will be giving them to my daughter as well.”
Maheen Cassim, a dental hygienist with Natural Smiles, said she wanted to give something back to the community. While the campaign has been going on for the past four years, it was the first time that Cassim had participated.
“I think it’s good to give back to the community,” Cassim said. “You get so much back from them too. You get to see how things are going and how people are doing with oral healthcare. It’s also a good way to educate them and get the awareness out to the public.”
Cassim said dental hygiene could vary in price from $100 to more than $300 depending on what needed to be done. Many people have other priorities in life and just can’t afford to see the dentist, she said.
By midafternoon, about five patients had come to get their teeth checked. She said some of the patients that she saw hadn’t been to the dentist’s office in years.
“It’s a good step for them to get back and take care of their oral health,” she said. “Some people haven’t been for such a long time that things build up. You can brush as much as you like but it becomes a part of their mouths, which isn’t a health mouth. I wasn’t able to finish everyone that came in as a complete hygiene treatment but at least I feel good that I started them off on the right foot.”
She added that she would participate in the campaign again next year and hoped that more dentists would do so as well.
Follow Jeff Labine on Twitter @Labine_reporter
