Children will have greater access to free dental care in Whittlesea following the introduction of four new public dental chairs last week.
Dental Health Services Victoria (DHSV) chief executive Deb Cole was at Plenty Valley Community Health clinic in Whittlesea last Tuesday to formally open the four DHSV-funded chairs.
They will primarily be used for children but will also be available to eligible local residents, including pensioners and health card holders.
Dr Cole said the chairs were state-of-the-art and included the most advanced digital technology in Victoria.
“Plenty Valley has an impressive reputation for the quality of its services and the skill of its dental teams and this will be enhanced by the addition of these chairs and new equipment,” she said.
Plenty Valley chief executive Phillip Bain said the organisation had suffered a funding cutback of about $1.1 million.
Plenty Valley asked DHSV for new chairs in 2012 to help service the booming northern growth corridor.
“The population growth in the area is significant and the demand for dental care is considerable,” Mr Bain said.
“Our focus is on children because it’s important they develop good oral health habits and foster an awareness of their teeth.”
The general public can also use the chairs but will have to pay a fee.
Mr Bain said the fees were determined on a case by case basis and would be less than the commercial dental rate.
Federal government funding is available for a child’s first visit to the dentist if the child’s family is receiving Family Tax Benefit A.
