The City may soon be getting a new mobile dental bus like above in a thriving program.
City officials are looking at purchasing a new dental van to treat residents in at-risk communities.
The new hi-tech dental-clinic van will cost about $460,000 and be funded by Toronto residents if approved.
The matter was to be considered at a Board of Health meeting on September 9.
Toronto Public Health offers a mobile dental program that includes two mobile dental vans and a mobile dental bus to support hard to reach populations.
“The mobile dental bus has been in operation since 2012, and the interior and exterior of the bus has significantly declined over the past year,” according to a report by health officials.
The Mobile Dental Clinic treats thousand of at-rise residents yearly.
They suggested the current bus be auctioned off in a sale that could generate about $50,000 to return to the provincial Ministry of Health. A new one can be ordered, if approved by council.
The existing City dental bus is outfitted with all the equipment and materials that can be found in a brick-and-mortar clinic with the ability to travel to community organizations.
The bus can serve those in shelters, food banks, long-term care services, and other social services. The bus brought mobile dental treatment to approximately 800 patients annually.
The two mobile dental vans provide oral health screening and dental care for about 3,000 seniors in City-operated long-term care homes.
The City has two mobile dental vans which are much better for working in the inner city.
“These vans have been successful at delivering high-quality, client-centred care to seniors across the city,” according to a city report.
Staff said the smaller vans are much easier to operate and manoeuvre throughout the city, and do not require special permits or driver’s license to operate.
City staff said there are 26 dental clinics operated by Toronto Public Health where eligible children, adults aged 18 to 64, seniors aged 65 and older can access free dental care.
The mobile program provided more than 61,600 dental appointments in community-based clinics