The Eastern Ontario Health Unit is now offering a new dental care program for children from low-income families.

PHOTO CREDIT - EOHU

Cornwall - Mar. 14, 2011 - Starting this month, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit will be offering a new dental care program for children from low-income families.

The new Healthy Smiles Ontario program is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and provides regular dental care free-of-charge for children 17 and under who don't have access to any form of dental coverage.

According to Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, medical officer of health with the EOHU, good oral health is an important factor in children's overall health.

"The problem is, dental care just isn't affordable for some families. We understand this. So we're very happy to be offering expanded dental services that can now help kids in low-income families in the eastern counties get the dental care they need," said Roumeliotis in a press release.

The new Healthy Smiles Ontario program covers a full range of preventive and early treatment dental services including check-ups, cleaning, fillings, x-rays and more. The program will complement existing dental care programs already offered by the EOHU for children aged 17 and under. These include the Children in Need of Treatment (CINOT) program which provides free urgent dental services to eligible children whose parents have no dental insurance and can't afford the cost of urgent dental care, and the Ontario Works (OW) Child program which provides basic dental care for children whose parents are recipients of OW.

Eligible children will be able to receive treatment through local dentists, as well as through the EOHU's community dental clinics which are being held in partnership with local hospitals and community health centres.

For more info on the program, call the Eastern Ontario Health Unit at 613-933-1375 or at 1 800 267-7120, and ask for Health Line.