Green Shield Canada have provided a $95,000 grant to the Windsor and Essex Council. This grant will enable the Council to start a new oral health and wellness program, mainly aimed at refugees and newcomers to the area. Therefore, they hope to improve the dental health of their residents.
Green Shield Canada have announced that they are providing a $95,000 grant to the Windsor and Essex Council, with the aim of boosting dental health across the county [1].
The award has proven very popular. There is a belief that refugees and other newcomers to Canada have many barriers to overcome at first. Therefore, Green Shield Canada hope that the grant can assist this group of people.
The Council hope to implement a three-year oral health and wellness program. Consequently, they are hoping that this program will aid the oral health and general well-being of hundreds of people.
Background
Green Shield Canada is a not-for-profit organisation that provides a range of services for people across Canada. Oral health is not their only area of expertise; for instance, Green Shield Canada also provides assistance for homelessness, sex trafficking and disaster relief among other areas.
They particularly help the vulnerable. Refugees, who come from war-torn nations, are among the most vulnerable. Green Shield Canada recognize the barriers that they, along with other newcomers, have to overcome in healthcare.
Canada has a large population of refugees. For instance, in 2020 alone, almost 110,000 refugees were granted asylum in Canada [2]. In addition, in the last ten years, over 1million refugees have been welcomed into Canada [2].
The population of Windsor and Essex County is approximately 400,000 people, which represents a sizeable amount. Consequently, many refugees have settled into Windsor and Essex County.
The need for an oral health program
Nidal Shauki is a Nurse Practitioner at Windsor and Essex Council. She said that she hopes that the grant will allow refugees and other newcomers to get “an introduction to a dental clinic” [1].
Shauki remarked that many clients wouldn’t have ever received dental care in the past. For example, research has shown that refugees typically have significantly worse oral health than those in western nations [3]. Overall, their knowledge of the importance of oral health is very limited [4].
As a result, an oral health program can help significantly. Timpy Aulah, a Health and Wellness Coordinator at the Council, mentioned that providing an initial dental experience to newcomers can help them to forge a regular oral routine [1].
Shauki said that the Council will be implementing a three-year oral health and wellness program. The Council aim to educate refugees and other newcomers on the importance of oral health [1]. Shauki said that the Council has yearly goals of reaching over 300 people [1].
The grant from Green Shield Canada is therefore expected to help many people. Consequently, with many having not received oral care in the past, this grant will enable them to receive desperately-needed dental care. This should improve their overall well-being. In addition, it should benefit their quality of life.
Hope for the future
The grant from Green Shield Canada has been warmly received. Mila Lucio, executive vice president of human resources and social impact at Green Shield Canada, said that the grant was part of the organizations’ goal of “making a difference in the community” and contribute to its residents having “healthier lives” [1].
Lisa Kolody, executive director of the Windsor Essex Community Foundation, also commented. She said that the proram will help to tackle oral health in the area, which she described as “under-funded and under-resourced” [1].
The grant to Windsor and Essex Council was part of a $450,000 donation to various organisations throughout the County. In addition, other recipients included organizations aiming to implement mental health programs [1].
What we offer at Savanna Dental
Savanna Dental is a dental clinic based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We offer many services, including regular dental check-ups, cavity fillings, and root canals and some cosmetic services.
Any dental problem should be addressed early, and can be identified at check-ups. This helps to prevent the problem getting worse. So, when further treatment is needed after a check-up, we provide our patients with a clear treatment plan.
The best way of avoiding extra treatment is to have strong oral hygiene. This includes brushing our teeth at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and getting a dental check-up at least twice a year. Avoiding sugary foods and drink and not smoking also helps.
Our Calgary-based dental clinic Savanna Dental also follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide. This means our prices are competitive, transparent and affordable.
We would love you to visit us here at Savanna Dental soon! You can see more about us by visiting our website https://savannadentalclinic.ca.
- [1] Kotsis, J. (2021). Green Shield Canada grants $450,000 to boost oral and mental health. Available: https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/funding-boost. Last accessed: 23rd October 2021.
- [2] Macrotrends. (2021). Canada Refugee Statistics 1960-2021. Available: https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/CAN/canada/refugee-statistics. Last accessed: 23rd October 2021.
- [3] Salim, N. A., Maayta, W., & El Sa’aideh, B. B. (2020). The oral health of refugees: Issues and challenges arising from a case series analysis. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. 48 (3): p195-200.
- [4] Keboa, M. T., Hiles, N. & Macdonald, M. E. (2016). The oral health of refugees and asylum seekers: a scoping review. Globalization and Health. 12 (59). [online only]: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-016-0200-x.
