News Release                            For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                     January 22, 2009

Expanding Free Dental Care for Grey Bruce Families

The Grey Bruce Health Unit is expanding free dental services to children in families unable to cover the cost of treatment.

The Children in Need of Treatment (CINOT) program offered dental treatment to families with children up to age 14. The Ministry of Health Promotion is expanding the program to include children up to age 17. 

Presently, Public Health dental hygienists visit every elementary school in Grey Bruce and screen students in every other grade year. In 2006-07 school year, 6,969       

elementary school children were screened, with 1,196 referred to the CINOT program.

The increased funding will allow secondary school students to be screened. Beginning this year, Public Health will hold regular secondary school clinics providing an opportunity for those students to receive oral screening and assessment. Parents can also call Public Health to access screening and referral services for children up to 17 years.

To access the program, Public Health dental staff must examine the child and identify dental disease. For families that qualify, Public Health will cover the cost of the required dental treatment.

For more information about dental programs, call Public Health at 519-376-9420 or

1-800-263-3456 or visit our website at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.

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For more information:

Lou D'Alessandro

Manager, Health Protection

Grey Bruce Health Unit

519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 1223