Mobile Public health dental program supports vulnerable youth

Keira Johnson remembers what it was like to be homeless and in pain.

“I was 16, living in a friends’ car, sleeping wherever I could, working full time and trying to finish high school,” says Keira. “My mouth was bleeding and I was in pain but I couldn’t afford to see a dentist.”

Fortunately, a youth support worker connected Keira to Fraser Health Public Health’s dental program for vulnerable youth, which operates out of the Mobile Health Clinic.

Helga Thordarson, a registered dental hygienist with Fraser Health, was able to assess Keira, work with a local dentist to come up with a treatment plan and find funding to cover the cost.

“For Keira it was 15, maybe 20 minutes in the van, and we did all of the behind the scenes work and phone calls to get her teeth fixed,” Helga says.

“I know we got her through a real rough patch in her life and a lot of our clients are going through rough times. Oral health may seem like a small thing but it has a big impact on people’s lives.”

The mobile dental program has helped more than 800 youth since it

Continued from page 22 launched in 2020. The clinic operates out of a van and primarily visits designated locations in Surrey with regular stops at Foundry in Langley.

In addition to dental care, the Mobile Health Clinic supports age 0-5 immunizations as well as sexual health/ blood borne diseases. All of the mo- bile clinic’s services are designed to improve access to care for people who may face social barriers in receiving care from traditional sources.

“Being a kid and trying to figure out what am I going to eat, where am I going to sleep…in the scope of things, teeth may seem like a small thing but the dental care made such a huge difference in my life,” Keira says.

“I graduated high school. I’m working and planning my career…my teeth, my life, it’s all good.”

The Mobile Health Clinic is a partnership between Fraser Health, Surrey Hospitals Foundation and TELUS. n H

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto received new funding of $479,000 for its Get Up and Go (GUAG) persistent pediatric pain service – the first program of its kind in Canada. This brings total funding from Ontario’s Ministry of Health to nearly $1.3 million. The funding will help address increasing demand and higher complexity of mental health needs of the participants seen in the program.

“We are thrilled to receive this additional funding,” says A.J. Lopez, senior director, inpatient rehabilitation and complex continuing care (CCC) program. “The most challenging pediatric persistent pain cases in the country are seen by this team and many of them require enhanced care to address mental health needs. This additional funding will allow us to support families that need it the most.”