The Chatham-Kent Board of Health is continuing to push for affordable dental care for adults.
Members of the board say millions of Canadians avoid going to the dentist each year because of the costs associated with it.
Leeanne Pepper, dental hygienist with the CKHA says although children in the community are able to have their dental needs taken care of, some adults are not as fortunate.
She adds when the Healthy Smiles initiative was implemented in 2016, the provincial government's goal was to look at having an adult program by 2025.
"You don't want to tell somebody who's at home today with a tooth ache that in 2025 there may be hope for you to get some dental work," says Pepper. "We need that moved up. We need help today."
In order to bring the issue higher up on Ministry of Health's agenda, Pepper says they have to spread the word -- something they've been doing by partnering with other boards and organizations.
"We're trying to get the ear of the ministry and government to get the funding," she says. "I think we have a lot of people out there who realize the need and are speaking up so that's helpful."
At the last board of health meeting it was decided that a presentation highlighting the need for affordable dental care would be brought to the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (ALPHA) meeting in the spring, which is being held in Chatham-Kent.
Related: CK Health Unit Says Province Is Too Slow Dealing With Oral Health
