The government dental office on Tuesday provided free teeth cleaning services for 15 young people as part of their contribution to Youth Month.
September each year is considered Youth Month and activities are spearheaded by the Department of Community Youth and Sports Services.
Young people between the ages of 18 and 30 were targeted to receive health and dental checks throughout the month and then cleanings were offered to those who signed up.
Dr. Coretta Fergus, head of the Dental Unit explained that the government provides free dental services to school-aged children and senior citizens. Once leaving school, young people are responsible for paying for their own medical checkups and dental visits. The free cleaning campaign was an effort to assist youth in knowing their health status and accessing much needed assistance.
The dental office, located in St. John’s has had to make adjustments to how it serves the public in the era of COVID-19. While staff members previously wore personal protective equipment, they have now changed the masks to the recommended N95 ones and facial shields have been added. Dr. Fergus shared that they have removed all but two chairs in the waiting area to aid in social distancing.
They are now serving less clients on a daily basis to give more time to cleaning between visits. She added, that the N95 and facial masks can be uncomfortable so periodically staff must take breaks to relieve the added pressure from constant use.
Calls are encouraged to confirm appointments before visiting the centre at 664-491-7404.
