There was smiles all round as the Nowra Dental Clinic was officially opened on Friday, December 24.
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The $3.4 million public dental clinic will provide the local community with increased access to primary prevention services and oral health education programs.
It provides child and adult dentistry, dental hygiene services, denture services and specialist services such as oral surgery to eligible clients in the Shoalhaven region.
The purpose-built facility includes eight dental surgeries, double that of the original clinic, as well as enhanced diagnostic tools such as panoramic x-ray facilities and new accessibility equipment to enable the treatment of bariatric patients and users of wheelchairs.
The facility has also been designed to cater for future increases demand, with space and scope to expand specialty dental services over the next 10 years.
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District Dr Mark O’Connor said the clinic is in demand in the Nowra region, particularly with the adult population.
“There seems to be a higher proportion of the population here who are eligible for treatment and there’s a higher elderly population,” he said.
“We’re looking to put more staff on to accommodate the demand.”
Dr O’Connor said eligible patients are assessed on their level of urgency or immediate need for treatment, and vouchers for other dental providers can be provided if the clinic cannot accommodate the patient at the time.
“Good oral health is an important component of general health, and access to care, together with education, are the first steps in reducing gaps in the oral health status of our community,” he said.
Works began in April 2016 and were completed in the second half of 2017, with a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony recently held on site before staff transitioned into the new clinic and patient services began.
It was officially opened by Member for South Coast, Shelley Hancock and Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and South Coast, Gareth Ward.
The Nowra Dental Clinic is located at 9 Lawrence Avenue, Nowra adjacent to the Nowra Integrated Primary and Community Health Centre.
The clinic will be open five days a week.
Access to dental services is via the Oral Health Central Intake Centre. Phone: 1300 369 651.
Information about accessing dental services dental services are provided free of charge to community members that reside within the district’s boundaries and meet the eligibility criteria:
- Child clients must be eligible for Medicare
- Adult clients (18 years and older) must be eligible for Medicare and hold (or are listed as a dependent on) one of the following valid Australian Government concession cards: Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.