Guelph dental clinic gives back by offering a day of free dental work
Friday was a busy day at Westwood and Starwood Dental Clinic in Guelph, as they offered free dental care to adult patients for the eighth year.
With the help of Gift of the Heart Charity, by the end of the day, the clinic saw almost 100 patients and did work that would have added up to $28,700.
People began lining up at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to staff, as the clinic saw patients on a first-come-first-serve basis.
“I got nothing but time and I’m willing to wait,” said Deanis Smith, who said he was waiting for about six hours before he was seen.
The lineup outside the Guelph clinic at around 7:00 a.m. (Submitted/Cody Moore)
Worth it – many in line said.
“If I would have waited it probably would have cost $1,400 or $1,500,” said James Ironside, who lined up around 6.a.m.
Clients could either get a filling, cleaning or an extraction at the clinic.
Robert Horvath thought he was coming in to get a cavity filled but was told his bottom molar had to be removed.
“It went surprisingly well. The only bad news is that there’s one less tooth in my mouth,” Horvath said.
Not only did the appointment go well – Horvath has become a new patient.
“I’m coming back at the end of the month for a cleaning service,” he said.
Dr. Michael Bull, a dentist and one of the clinic owners said it’s a way to give back to the community who has supported their business for decades.
Dr. Michael Bull examines a patient on Free Dental Day at Westwood and Starwood Dental on June 2, 2023. (CTV News/Heather Senoran)
“It’s the least we can do to give back to members of the community who might need a little bit of assistance,” Dr. Bull told CTV News.
Dr. Bull said it was dangerous for people to ignore tooth pain because of a lack of insurance or money.
“It doesn’t happen frequently anymore because we have antibiotics but there have been cases of people actually dying from leaving infections in their mouths. So it’s important that you have proper dental care and follow through with any recommended treatment,” he said.
The federal government's new dental benefit offers free care for kids under 12-years-old, in families earning less than $90,000 a year.
But the clinic hopes more help will be on the way, to meet the demand they saw first-hand on Friday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Gangs netting up to US$3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
Human trafficking-fuelled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to US$3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels.